*A3 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0     ^"^  IIIIIM 


2.2 


I.I 


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11.25 


U    1 1.6 


Hiotographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WIST  MAIN  STRHT 

WEBSTIR,N  Y    M5S0 

(716)  872-4S03 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Inutitute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


D 


y 


v' 


n 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag^e 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pellicui6e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couieur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Larelrure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 

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appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutdes 
lors  d'ur.e  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  dtd  filmdes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires; 


L'lnstitut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-etre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquds  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


n 


■y 


D 
0 


D 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pelliculdes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolordes,  tachet^es  ou  piqudes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  o^tachees 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Qualitd  in6gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 


Only  edition  availabia/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Piges  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
en;iure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  dt6  filmdes  d  nouveau  de  fapon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  teux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


s^ 


12X 


16X 


20X 


a4x 


28X 


32X 


aire 

I  details 
iues  du 
t  modifier 
ger  une 
)  filmage 


ides 


ire 


y  errata 
)d  to 

nt 

ne  pelure, 

1900  d 


u 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Lakehead  University 
Thunder  Bay 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copiws  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  nage  with  a  printed  or  illustratsd  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


1 

2 

3 

L'exemplaire  filmd  fut  reproduit  grace  ^  la 
g6n6rosit6  de: 

Lakehead  University 
Thunder  Bay 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimde  sont  filmds  en  commengant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmds  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  chaque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  —^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  §tre 
filmds  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  etre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  filmd  d  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche   de  gauche  i  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

SI 


m 


.'f,J|.v|^' 


GEOORAPHICAL  VIEW 


OF  THE 


t' 

..^ 

■"-^-  5 

'I! 
1 

•>-■- 

1 

.' 

• 

t»^  ". 

_'"L 

.i'^. 

M^ 

PROVINCE  OF   UPPER  CANADA; 

AND  ' 

Promiscuous  Remarks  on  the  Governmmt  ; 

IN  TWO  PARTS; 

-'    .  > . . '.  •  ■- .. 

WITH  AN  APPENDIX, 


CONTAINING  KW^inXTE  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE        * 

■    ■'      ■'    MAGARA  FjILLS:  :^ '-''^  "    ''  ''^' 

:  ,-:  t  :    -  I  ■ . 

AND  REMARKS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  / 


SITUATION  OP  THE  INHABITANTS  RESPECTING 

THE  WAR;  r 

AND  A  CONCISE  HISTORY  OP  ITS  PROGRESS,  TO  THE 

PRESENT  DATE. 

BY  M.  SMITH.  V 

THIRD  EDITION. 


i'ti 


Philad.— Printed  by  J.  Bloreii,  for  Tiiomas  and  Robert  Desllvcr 

OCTOBER,    1813. 


Price i'i/'fl/  Ccnl.^^ 


DISTRICT  OF  NEW  JERSEY,  ss. 


«..  ; 


■'*■■  > 


► 


Seal. 


95e  it  iJcmemfecrcJ),  That  on  the  se. 

m  cond  day  of  October,  in  the  thirty  eightliyear  of 
^  the  Independence  of  the  United  States  of  Ame- 
rica, Michael  Smith  of  the  said  District,  hath 
deposited  in  this  office,  the  title  of  a  book,  the  right  where- 
of he  claims  as  Author,  in  the  words  following,  to  wit : 

"  A  Geographical  View  of  the  province,  of  Upper  Canada, 
"  ajid  promiscuous  remarks  on  the  government^  in  two  parts 
*'  with  an  Appendix,  containing  a  complete  description  of  the 
"  Niagara  falls,   and  remarks  relative  to  the  situation   of 
"  (lie  inhabiiants  respecting  the  mar,  and  a  cancise  history  of 
"  its  progress  to  the  present  date :  by  M.  Smith.^* 

In  conformity  to  the  Act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States,  entitnled  "  An  Act  for  the  Em^Quragement  of  Lcaro- 
in"  by  securing  the  Copies  of  Maps,  Charts  and  Books,  to 
(  J  Authors  and  Proprietors  of  such  copies  during  the  times 
therein  mentioned."  And  also  to  an  Act  entituled,  **  An 
Act  supplementary  to  an  Act  entituled  "  An  Act  for  the  Encou- 
riasjement  of  learning,  by  securing  the  Copies  of  Maps,  Charts 
and  Books  to  the  Authors  and  Proprietors  of  such  Copies 
during  the  times  therein  mentioned,"  and  extending  the  bene- 
fits thereof  to  the  Arts  of  deigning,  engraving,  and  etching 
historical  and  other  prints." 

ROBERT  BOGGS,  Clerk  of  the 

District  of  Nen^- Jersey. 

The  above  copy-right  is  conveyed  to  Thomas  Vesilver  of 
Philaddphia,  for  the  states  of  Pennsylvania,  Delaware  and 
Maryland.  .  . 

RECOMMENDATION. 

I  have  read  the  Geographical  Description  of  Upper  Cana- 
da by  Mr.  Smith,  drawn  up  from  actual  observation  ;  it  bcnrs 
tlie  marks  of  strict  impartiality,  and  I  am  of  opinion  will  prove, 
at  the  present  crisis  a  valuable  and  popular  work. 

Wm,  Staughton,  D.  D 
October  8,  1813 


)n  the  ser 
itli  year  of 
;s  of  Ame- 
trict,  hath 
rhi  wliere- 
»  wit: 

Canada, 

two  parts 

Hon  of  the 

tuation   of 

I  history  of 


the  United 
it  of  Learn- 

Books,  to 
I  the  times 
uled,  "  An 

theEncou- 
[apg,  Charts 
uch  Copies 
ng  the  bene- 
and  etching 

fthe 

Nerv' Jersey. 

T)p.siher  of 
.larvare   and 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


It  is  proper  here  to  inform  the  public,  and  particufiarly 
those  who  subscribed  for  this  work  more  than  a  year 
ago,  that  more  than  two  years  since,  I  made  applica- 
tion to  the  then  governor  of  Upper  Canada,  Francis 
Gore,  esq.  for  liberty  to  take  and  print  a  Geographi- 
cal and  Political  View  of  the  province,  and  obtained 
his  approbation.  In  June  1812,  I  agreed  with  the 
printers  in  BufFaloe,  for  the  publication  of  the  work, 
and  sent  them  part  of  the  manuscript  before  the  declar- 
ation of  war,  which  event  prevented  the  publication. 
In  December,  by  virtue  of  a  proclamation  ot  the  gov- 
ernor, in  favour  of  citizens  belonging  to  the  United 
States,  I  obtained  a  passport  to  leave  the  province  with 
others.  I  have  now  published  a  complete  Geographi- 
cal View  of  the  province,  but  have  left  out  the  Political 
View,  instead  of  which,  I  have  subjoined  remarks  re- 
specting the  war  while  I  was  in  the  province  ;  and  al- 
so, a  concise  account  of  it  to  the  present  date  of  this 
third  edition. 


i'f> 


Upper  Cana- 
ion ;  it  bears 
tnwill  prove, 

k. 

HTON,  D.  D 


fir 


m 

■".Ml 


\i%    ! 


TREFACB  OF  THE  FIRST  EDITION. 

JT  is  a  common  practice  among  authors,  to  beg  an 
introduction  of  their  works  to  the  public,  by  making  an 
humble  apology  for  the  crime  oi  writing :  but  I  cannot 
conceive  that  I  have  done  wrong  in  publishing  this 
work  ',  but  rather  lament  that  it  has  not  appeared  soon- 
er and  better  executed.   However  it  may  not  be  amiss 
to  inform  the  public  that  1  was  induced  to  this  business 
.about  three  years  ago,  while  in  Canada,  from  a  belief 
.  that  a  full  and  impartial  account  of  the  province  would 
.be  acceptable  and  useful  to  my  fellow-citizens,  as  of 
late  years  many  have  been  in  the  habit  of  moving  there. 
.And  I  also  knew  that  a  correct  geographical  account 
of  the  province  of  Upper  Canada  had  never  been  pub- 
lished; whatever  had  been,  was  brief  and  defective. 
I  may  add,  that  the  mildness  of  the  climate,  fertility  of 
the  soil,  benefit  of  trade,  cheapness  of  the  land,  and 
morals  of  the  inhabitants,  so  far  exceeded  my  expecta- 
tions and  the  apprehensions  of  the  public  in  general ;  I 
deemed  it  my  duty  to  make  known  the  same.     .    - 
/,  I  will  also  observe,  that  I  have  wrote  from  experi- 
mental knowledge,  and  not  merely  from  v/hat  has  been 
suggested  by  others.     Some  may  imagine,  because  I 
write  thus,  that  I  have  a  partiality  for  the  English — 
but  this  I  solemnly  deny ;  I  only  describe  things  in 
their  true  characters,  with  the  impartiality  of  an  histo- 
rian.    1  began  this  work  before  the  war ;  I  undertook 
it  with  an  earnest  desire  to  benefit  some,  I  care  not 
who ;  if  any  are  benefited  I  shall  be  gratified ;  in  short, 
I  write  this  Pro  Bono  Publico* 

CONNECTICUT, 

Winchester,  Jlprif,  16,  n\3- 


tut  -S.J2-«., 


fl 


i^3 


PART  I. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  DISTRICT  OF  LONDON, 

(UPPER  CANADA.) 

THIS  district  is  boiindsd  east  by  Indian  land, 
on  Grand  River,  north  by  the  wilderness,  west  by  the 
western  district  at  Detroit,  and  south  by  lake  Erie, 
along  the  north  shore  of  which  it  extends  about  90 
miles.  The  district  of  London  is  certainly  much 
the  best  part  of  Canada.  It  is  sufficiently  level, 
very  rich,  and  beautifully  variegated  with  small 
hills  and  fertile  vallies,  through  which  flow  a  num- 
ber of  pearly  streams  of  almost  the  best  water  in 
the  world.  -         • 

In  this  district  there  is  a  large  quantity  of  na- 
tural plains,  though  not  in  very  large  bodies,  and 
not  entirely  clear  of  timber.  This  land  has  a  hand- 
some appearance,  and  affords  fine  roads  and  pasture 
in  summer.  Here  the  farmer  has  but  little  to  do 
only  to  fence  his  land,  and  put  in  the  plough, 
which  indeed  requires  a  strong  team  at  first,  but 
afterwards  may  be  tilled  with  one  horse.  These 
plains  are  mosdy  in  the  highest  p'^'-t  of  the  ground, 
are  veiy  rich  and  well  adapted  for  \v  aeat  and  clover. 
The  surface  of  the  earth  in  this  district  is  almost  en- 
tirely  clear  of  stone ;  it  is  of  a  sandy  quality,  (espe- 
cially the  plains)  which  renders  it  very  easy  for  cul- 
tivation. *'      '     * 

This  district  is  situated  in  the  41st,  degree  and 
40  minutes  of  north  lat.  and  is  favoured  with  a 
temperate  climate.     The  summers  are  sufficientiy 

A  2 


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fm 


it ': 


long,  to  luring  all  the  crops  to  perfection,  if  ])lantcd 
in  season  :  indeed  there  is  hardly  ever  any  kind  of 
produce  injured  by  the  frost. 

This  is  the  best  part  of  Canada  for  wheat,  and  1 
believe  of  any  part  of  die  world :  from  20  to  35 
bushels  are  commonly  gathered  from  one  acre  of 
ground,  perfectly  sound  and  clear  from  smut. 
Corn  thrives  exceedingly  well,  as  also  all  other 
kinds  of  grain.  Apples,  peaches,  cherries,  and 
all  kinds  of  fruit  common  to  the  United  States, 
flourish  very  well  here.  Wood-land  sells  from 
two  to  five  dollars  an  acre.  The  timber  of  this 
district  consists  of  almost  all  kinds  common  to  the 
United  States.      .,  i    ■ 

The  inhabitants  of  this  district  enjoy  a  greater 
degi'ee  of  health,  than  is  common  to  observe  Tu 
most  places  :  but  doubtless  there  arc  reasons  for 
this,  founded  on  natiu'al  principles  and  among 
which  are  the  following  :  • 

1st.  The  inhabitants  are  from  their  prosperous 
situation,  exempt  from  the  necessity  of  labouring 
too  hard,  and  at  the  same  time  are  called  to  a  mode- 
rate share  of  industiy,  \vluch  promotes  the  health 
of  tlie  body  and  mind. 

2d.  The  most  of  the  people  were  poor  when  they 
first  came  to  the  province  :  of  course  had  been  ac- 
customed to  live  on  the  simple  necessities  of  life, 
and  yet  retain  a  wise  moderation  in  eating  and 
drmking,^  which  also  very  much  prevents  the  in- 
troduction of  disease. 

3d.  The  climate  is  quite  temperate,  and  accord 
ing  to  the  observation  of  many  who  have  lived  in 
the  place  16  years,  sudden  changes  from  hot  to-. 


cold, 


cold  to  hot,  is  not 


common  as  m  most 
places  m  tnt  unite  a  5>tatcs,  or  Europe.  The  win- 
ter commences  gradually,  and  goes  off  in  like  man- 
ner. The  snow  in  this  district  has  never  been  known 
to  be  more  than  20  inches  deep,  and  generally  not 
more  than  12. 

4th.  All  the  water  in  this  district  is  clear  from 
any  foreign  body,  and  of  the  lightest  order ;  most 
of  the  people  make  use  of  springs  or  brooks, 
which  are  in  great  plenty,  and  are  clear  and  cool 
nine  months  in  the  yeai' :  neither  are  they  \cry  of- 
ten made  muddy  by  rain,  the  land  through  which 
they  run  being  of  a  sandy  quality. 

5th.  The  soil  being  of  a  sandy  quality,  as  ob- 
served above,  naturally  produces  sound  and  sweet 
grain,  and  vegetables ;  the  using  of  w  hich  very 
much  promotes  the  health  of  the  consumer. 

6th.  The  people  of  this  Canadian  paradise  are 
more  contented  in  their  situation  of  life,  than  is 
common  to  observe  in  most  places,  w  hich  also  very 
much  preserves  the  health  of  m.an,  while  a  contrary 
disposition  tends  to  destroy  it. 

I'his  District  is  divided  in  three  counties,  viz. 
Norfolk,  Middlesex,  and  Oxford,  and  twenty -five 
tov/nships,  all  of  \\hich  I  will  describe  in  a  brief 
manner. 

OF  NORFOLK  COUNTY. 

This  county  lies  in  the  south  east  part  of  the 
district,  joining  the  shore  of  Lake  Erie,  and  is  di- 
\  ided  into  nine  townships,  generally  nine  miles 
wide,  where  they  join  on  the  lake  shore,  and  twelve 
miles  in  length  towards  the  north. _    ^ 


.  I' 


t  :• 


K' 


r 


; 


8 


WALPOLE. 

This  township  lies  in  the  south  east  corner  of  the 
county,  joining  the  Indian  land  on  the  Grand  River, 
and  the  lake  shore.  It  is  tolerably  well  supplied 
with  timber  of  various  kinds.  The  ground  is  level 
and  very  rich ;  though  thinly  settled,  in  consequence 
of  large  bodies  of  land  together  being  owned  by 
people  in  England. 

It  contains  1  gun-smith,  1  store,  2  schools,  1  saw- 
mill, 1  tanner,  2  shoe- makers,  and  1  tailor.* 

RAINHAM.     -   * 

This  lies  joining  and  west  of  Walpole,  on  the 
lake  shore,  and  is  also  thinly  inhabited ;  yet  it  is  very 
rich  land,  finely  timbered,  and  clear  from  stone, 
though  some  parts  are  overflowed  with  shallow 
ponds  of  water.  There  are  also  large  bodies  of 
land  in  this  township,  owned  by  the  rich  of  Eng- 
land and  other  countries,  which  very  much  prevents 
the  population  of  the  town. 

It  contains  two  large  streams  of  water,  viz.  Stony 
Creek  and  Nanticoke,  with  several  smaller  ones — 
1  blacksmith,  1  tailor,  1  mason,  1  tunner,  2  shoe- 
makers, 1  joiner,  1  grist-mill,  2  saw- mills,  1  dis- 
tillery, 1  store,  1  school,  one  religious  society  (Dutch 
Lutherans)  and  1  divine. 

WOODHOUSE. 

Is  thickly  inhabited  by  rich  farmers ;  and  is  well 
supplied  with  timber  of  various  kinds,  three  miles 
from  the  lake  shore  ;  after  which  it  is  chiefly  plains, 
beautifully  interspersed  with  fine  groves  of  timber. 

*  There  are  many  more  of  the  inhabitants  in  each  town- 
ship to  be  named  that  occasionally  work  at  the  diflferent  bu- 
siness above  noted. 


•>    '' 


)mer  of  the 
and  River, 
11  supplied 
md  is  level 
msequence 
owned  by 

)ols,  1  saw- 
or.* 

►ole,  on  the 
et  it  is  very 
from  stone, 
ith  shallow 
je  bodies  of 
ch  of  Eng- 
ch  prevents 

viz.  Stony 
Her  ones — 
ler,  2  shoe- 
lilis,   1  dis- 

ety  (Dutch 


and  is  well 
three  miles 
iefly  plains, 

of  timber. 

n  each  town- 
diflferent  bu- 


The  soil  of  this  township  is  of  a  sandy  quality,  al. 
most  entirely  iree  from  stone,  and  of  course  very 
easily  cultivated.  This  kind  of  sandy  land  is  veiy 
rich,  not  only  on  the  surface,  but  tar  beneath.  I 
have  seen  corn  and  other  things  planted  on  sand 
that  was  thrown  up  from  5  to  20  teet  deep,  which 
grow  to  great  perfection ;  nor  will  it  wear  out  in  a 
short  time.  I  have  known  land  of  this  kind  in  the 
township  under  cultivation  16  years,  without  ever 
being  manured,  to  produce  25  bushels  of  wheat 
per  acre.         •    :    ;    ■  rl'lu-'.J  '   // 

This  township  has  been  settled  20  years,  with 
people  from  New  Jersey,  New  York  and  Pennsyl- 
vania ;  and  is  famous  for  apples  and  peaches.  It  is 
watered  with  three  large  streams,  which  afford  ma- 
ny fine  falls  for  water-works,  viz.  Young's  Patter- 
son's, and  Black  Creeks ;  together  with  several  other 
smaller  ones,  and  one  sulphurous  spring.  It  con- 
tains two  blacksmiths,  six  grist-mills,  (in  two  places) 
seven  saw-mills,  one  fulling  mill,  one  carding  mill, 
6  distilleries,  seven  stores,  two  masons,  three  join- 
ers, two  tailors,  4  shoe-makers,  3  weavers,  1  hat- 
ter, 2  religious  societies  (Methodist,)  I  Divine,  (M.) 
1  meeting-house  (M.)  1  village  (Dover,)  I  philo- 
sophical society,  3  schools,  3  physicians,  1  attorney, 
and  1  masonic  society.  •   j         .  .  •  .- 

CHARLOTTEVILLE. 

This  township  lies  still  west  of  Woodhouse,  and 
will  bear  nearly  the  same  description,  although  (if 
possible)  better  watered.  It  has  been  settled  about 
seventeen  years,  by  people  from  the  United  States. 

It  contains  four  grist-mills,  3  saw-mills,  3  distil- 


^'t 


>■(■, 


10 


,'r,  ■■'  ^-t'       / 


I  trj-' 


I' 


leries,  3  tanners,  4  shoe-makers,  2  tailors,  3  black- 
siaiths,  4  carpenters,  2  stores,  2  hatters,  1  potter, 
1  physician,  2  religious  societies  ( 1  Methodist  and 
1  Baptist)  1  meeting-house  (B.)  2  public  buiklings 
(a  court-house,  and  jail)  1  singing-schod,  and  3 
reading  schools.  There  is  a  mine  of  excellent  iron 
ore  lately  discovered.  There  are  also  some  1  x^ 
though  shallow  marshes,  or  natural  meadows,  fr  »m 
which  there  is  annually  taken  a  large  quantity  of 

hay.    .J  /;     '        ■    '    -      "'   ■- 

WALSINGHAM,* 

Lies  directly  west  or  rather  south-west  of  Char- 
lotteville,  on  the  lake  shore.  The  soil  is  very  rich 
and  kvel,  and  better  timbered  than  Charlotteville, 
though  not  quijte  so  well  watered,  nor  so  thickly 
settled.  The  greater  part  of  the  inhabitants  are 
Dutch. 

It  contains  one  grist-mill,  1  saw-mill,  2  distille- 
ries, 1  tanner,  2  shoe-makers,  2  blacksmiths,  1  tai- 
lor, 2  weavers,  3  joiners,  2  masons,  1  hatter,  1  re- 
ligious society  (Methodist)  and  2  schools. 

HOUGHTON, 

Is  directly  south-west  of  Walsingham,  on  the 
lake  shore,  and  will  bear  nearly  the  same  descrip- 
tion, though  it  is  thinly  settled,  except  on  tlie  east 
side,  the  land  being  chiefly  owned  by  gentkmcii 
in  England. 

It  is  watered  with  one  fine  stream,  called  Big 
Creek. 

*  From  this  township,  extends  Long  Point,  18  miles  into 
the  lake.  No  one  lives  on  it,  as  it  is  low  and  narrow.  Tra- 
ders with  boats  cross  it  4  milet  from  the  shore,  where  it  is 
•nly  20  yards  wide. 


II 


Ivi' 


s,  3  black- 
5,  1  potter, 
thodist  and 

c  bujklinscs 
liool,  and  3 
cellent  iron 
some  1  ri^ 
dovvs,  fr  (m 
quantity  of 


jst  of  Char- 
is  very  rich 
larlotteville, 
'  so  thickly 
abitants  are 

1,  2  distille- 
niths,  1  tai- 
latter,  Ire- 
)ls. 

am,  on  the 
me  descrip- 
:  on  the  east 
f  gentkmen 

,  called  Big 


18  miles  intv> 

narrow.  Tra- 

•e,  where  it  is 


MIDDLETON,  .     - 

Lies  north  or  back  of  Houghton  and  Walsing- 
liam.  In  this  township  there  are  many  plains  and 
natural  meadows — well  watered,  rich  and  clear  of 
stone,  though  as  yet  without  improvement.  Big 
Creek  flows  through  the  township,  on  the  banks  of 
which  is  a  sulphurous  spring  of  great  strength. 

WINDHAM, 
Joins  Middleton  on  the  east,  and  Charlotteville 
and  Woodhouse  on  the  north.  It  is  partly  plain 
and  partly  timbered  land,  very  rich,  clear  of  stone, 
well  watered,  and  tolerably  thick  settled  with 
a  civil  and  industrious  people  from  the  United 
States.. 

Unimproved  land  sells  cheap  here — from  one  and 
a  half  to  three  dollars  an  acre.  ••'    -     *' 

It  contains  2  shoemakers,  2  tailors,  3  weavers,  2 
joiners,  1  mason,  1  tanner,  1  hatter,  1  store,  2  schools, 
2  religious  societies  (one  congregationalist  and  one 
methodist)  1  circulating  library,  and  one  divine  (con- 
gregationalist. ) 

TOWNSEND. 
This  township  joins  Windham  on  the  east  and 
Woodhouse  and  Rainham  on  the  north,  is  chiefly 
rich  natural  plains,  which  are  beautifully  interspers- 
ed  with  groves  of  timber,  level,  well  watered  and 
clear  of  stone.  It  is  thickly  settled  with  rich 
formers,  who  --aise  great  quantities  of  grain  and  cat- 
tle. 

TowTisend  contains  4  grist  mills  in  two  places,  3 
saw  mills,  3  blacksmiths,  3  distilleries,  2t'mners,  4 
shoe-makers,  2  weavers,  4  joiners,  1  hatter,  I  ma- 


■.:  f 


,'\> 


f' 


\      ( 


ml 

mi 


k^; 


rii 


ti 


I 


12 


s©n,  S  physicians,  4  stores,  1  mine  of  red  clay  near 
ly  equal  to  Spanish  brown,  2  divines  (one   baplih.! 
and  one  raethodist>  2  meeting  houses  (one  congre- 
gationalist  and  one  baptist)  and  four  schools. 
M  OF  OXFORD  COUNTY.  -    . 

This  county  is  situated  north  of  Norfolk  and  Mid- 
dlesex, towards  the  heads  of  the  Thames  and  Grand 
Rivers,  and  is  divided  into  6  townships,  about  12 
miles  square.    "^  -      '  ?*; 

BURFORD, 

Lies  north  of  Townsend,  joining  the  Indian  land 
on  the  east.  It  is  partly  plains,  level,  rich,  sandy, 
well  watered,  and  pretty  thickly  settled. 

It  contains  2  taylors,  1  hatter,  1  tanner,  3  shoe- 
inakers,  2  blacksmiths,  2  joiners,  1  gristmill,  2 
sawmills,  1  distillery,  I  fulling  mill,  3  physi- 
cians,  2  religious  societies  (Methodists)  and    3 

schools.  ;  v>'r>';r     i  .     r:  :,;  i  .  '  v      .  ' 

)         -^  BLENHEIM,     '  • 

Lies  north  west  of  Burford.  It  consists  of  plains 
and  timbered  land,  rich,  well  watered,  and  tolerably 
thick  settled.       /  :^^  ".' 

It  contains  2  grist  mills,  2  saw  mills,  1  tanner,  2 
shoemakers,  2  blacksmiths,  1  distillery,  2  weavers, 
and  2  joiners. 

OXFORD. 
This  township  lies  west  of  Blenheim  and  Bur- 
ford,  is  rich,  well  watered,  thickly  timbered,  et- 
tled  and  well  improved  by  industrious  people, 
from  the  states  of  New  York  and  Vermont.  Vi\e 
peo]:)le  in  this  town  are  famous  for  making  butter 
and  cheese.  ; :      ' 


1 


3 


clay  near 
ine   bapu!:.! 
tne  congre- 
ols. 

k  and  Mid- 
and  Grand 
,  about  12 


Indian  land 
ich,  sandy, 

er,  3  shoe- 
gristmill,  2 
,  3  physi- 
sts)  and    3 


sts  of  plains 
nd  tolerably 

1  tanner,  2 

2  weavers, 


n  and  Bur- 
ibered,  c^t- 
)us  people, 
nont.  'h»e 
iking  butter 


It  contains  2  grist  mills,  2  saw  mills,  2  distillc. 
ries,  2  tanners,  3  shoemakers,  2  masons,  2  hatters, 

2  carpenters,  3  blacksmiths,  2  tailors,  1  fulling 
mill,  2  physicians,  1  divine  (Baptist)  3  religiou' 
societies  (2  Methodist  and  1  Baptist)  1  court  house 
and  a  jail. 

NORWICH, 

Lies  west  of  Oxford,  on  the  beautiful  river 
Thames,  is  very  rich  and  exceedingly  w  ell  watered 
though  tolerably  thick  set  with  timber. 

This  township  has  not  been  settled  more  thart 
seven  years,  yet  it  contains  a  considerable  number 
of  inhabitants,  chiefly  from  the  state  of  New  York. 
They  are  mostly  Quakers  or  Friends,  and  have  a 
decent  meeting  house  for  the  worship  of  God. 

It  contains  1  grist  mill,  2  saw  mills,  2  tanners,  4 
shoemakers,  1  tailor,  2  blacksmiths,  2  carpenters, 

3  weavers,  I  hatter,  1  potter,  1  physician,  and  2 
schools. 

DIERHAM, 
Is  good  land,  well  watered,  though  but  thinly  set- 
tled.   It  is  thick  sci  ^^  ith  timber. 

It  contains  1  blacksmith,  2  shoemakers,  1  joiner, 
1  religious  society  (Methodist.  1 

BLENFORD, 
Is  nearly  like  Dierham,  and  contains  one  saw 
mill,  one  blacksmith,  two  schools,  one  tanner,  two 
shoemakers,  one  joiner,  and  one  religious  society, 
(Methodist.) 

OF  MIDDLESEX  COUNTY. 
This  county  lies  directly  south  west  of  Norfolk, 
joining  the  hike  shore,  and  is  exceeding  rich,  well 
A\  atcrcd  with  a  number  of  fine  streams,  is  le\cl,  and 

B 


t. .  ■ 


i't' 


.1 


T" 


!l 


:H 


14 


almost  entirely  clear  of  stone.  The  common  growth 
ot  timber  is  bass,  black  and  white  wahiuL,  witn  iiick- 
or) ,  mapie  and  oak. 

Jt  is  noi  more  than  two  years  from  the  time  I 
write,  Apiii,  1812,  since  this  lOinruv  has  been  open 
for  settlement,  ol  course  it  cannot  be  expected  that 
there  are  many  water  works,  mechanics,  or  the 
like  :  I  therefore  shall  omit  naming  the  number 
in  any  Township,  but  proceed  lo  name  the  Town- 
ships, and  on  what  terms  this  excellent  land  may 
be  obtained,* 

This  County  is  divided  into  ten  townshijB :  those 
lying  on  the  lake  shore  are  Malahide,  Bayham, 
8outhold,  Yarmouth,  and  Dunwich:  Those  on 
the  north  part  are  Dorchester,  Westminster,  Dela- 
ware, Winchester  and  Marlborough, 

The  land  is  exceeding  rich  in  these  Townships 
and  the  surface  more  level  than  is  common,  there  be- 
ing no  signs  of  trees  having  been  formerly  turned 
up  by  the  roots  here  or  any  where  the  west  side  of 
the  Grand  River. 

Some  few  years  ago  there  was  a  road  opened  by 
the  government  8  miles  from  the  shore  of  lake  Erie, 
parallel  with  the  same,  about  50  miles  long,  as  also 
one  on  the  lake  shore  and  another  from  the  middle 
to  the  north.  On  both  sides  of  these  roads  lots  of 
200  acres  of  land  have  been  given  to  settlers  by  the 
King,  and  now  may  be  obtained  by  any  person,  on 
the  following  terms. 


*  These  remarks  were  written  before  the  declaration  of 
war. 


15 


l,f 


First.  Iwery  person  that  wants  a  lot  of  200  acres 
(for  PiO  one  can  i^et  more  from  the  King)  must  take 
the  oath  of  allegiance  to  his  majesty  before  some  of 
bib  majesty's  justices  of  ^he  peace,  a  certificate  of 
wliich  he  must  procure. 

Secondly,  he  must  then  go  to  Col.  Thomas  Tal- 
hert,  now  agent  for  the  King  respecting  the  land, 
who  lives  on  the  place,  and  shew  him  the  cer- 
tificate of  the  oath,  and  inform  him  of  the  wish  to 
obtain  a  lot  for  settlement,  who  will  point  out  those 
that  are  not  engaged ;  they  may  then  take  their 
choice. 

Thirdly.  They  must  then  pay  to  col.  Talbert,  or 
some  other  proper  person,  37  dollars  and  a  half,  for 
which  a  receipt  is  given. 

Fourthly.  They  then  must  within  the  term  of  2 
years,  clear  fit  for  cultivation,  and  fence  10  acres 
of  the  lot  obtained,  build  a  house  16  by  20  feet, 
of  logs  (or  frame)  with  a  shingle  roof,  also  cut  down 
all  the  timber  in  front  of,  and  the  whole  width  of 
the  lot,  (which  is  20  chains)  133  feet  wide,  33  feet 
of  whicli  must  be  cleared  smooth  and  left  for  half  of 
the  public  road.^ 

Fifthly.  Thev  must,  with  or  without  a  family,  be 
actual  settlers  on  the  said  lot,  within  and  at  the  end 
of  2  vears. 

W^hen  all  the  things  are  done  (no  matter  how 
soon)  Col.  Talbert  will  give  them  a  certificate  of 
the  same,  which  they  must  take  to  the  Land  Office 

*  The  ciittins  of  Iho  timber  for  133  feet  is  omiHed  as  a 
settling  tluty  on  lota  which  lie  off  from  the  main  roi^l. 


•  i 


I    I  • 


'     5     •>  1 


r 


if 


»l! 


16 


in  York,  upon  which  they  will  get  a  deed  for  the 
said  lot,  which  is  a  deed  of  gift  from  the  King.  The 
37  1-2  dollars  called  the  fees  is  what  necessarily 
arises  as  an  expense  from  the  surveying  and  giving 
it  out. 

In  the  spring  of  1812  there  were  6C0  lots  tak- 
en up  for  settlement,  and  was  then  400  more  to 
be  disposed  of  by  government,  besides  about  300 
in  the  possession  of  col.  Talbert  to  be  sold  at  pri- 
vate  sale. 

The  setriers  of  these  lots  ^e  almost  altogether 
natives  of  the  United  States. 


"i- 


I,:. 


I  for  the 
ig.  The 
cessarily 
d  giving 

lots  tak- 

more  to 

Dout  300 

d  at  pri- 

[together 


& 


PART  11. 


GENERAL  REMARKS   ON    THE    GEOGRAPHICAL 
STATE  OF  THE  WHOLE  PROVINCE. 

Situation  and  extent, -^Thc  province  of  Upper 
Canada  lies  between  41^  and  40  minutes  and  47^ 
north  latitude,  and  extends  along  the  northern  banks 
of  the  river  St.  Lawrence,the  lakes  Ontario  and  Erie, 
and  the  water  communication  from  lake  Superior 
about  700  miles,  and  is  500  miles  wide,  according 
to  an  imaginary  line  that  divides  it  from  New  Bri- 
tain on  the  north.  The  line  that  divides  it  from  the 
lower  province  begins  in  latitude  45  at  lake  Francis- 
co, and  takes  a  north  west  course  by  lake  Tomis, 
canting  until  it  meets  the  imaginary  line  just  men- 
tioned. 

The  line  that  divides  the  upper  province  from  the 
United  States  commences  near  the  above  lake,  and 
is  a  ground  line  a  considerable  distance,  some  dis- 
tance above  the  St.  Regis  village*-  of  Indians :  then 
through  the  middle  of  the  river  St.  Lawrence  to  the 
beginning  of  lake  Ontario,  thence  through  the  mid- 
dle of  it  to  the  out-let  of  Lake  Eric,  then  through  the 
middle  of  the  out-let  to  the  beginning  of  the  said  lake, 
then  through  the  middle  of  it  to  the  head  near  De- 
troit, so  through  the  middle  of  the  water  communi- 
cations and  lakes  St.  Clair,  Huron,  Superior,  Long 
Lake,  and  Lake  of  the  w  oods :  thence  a  due  west 
com  se  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Mississippi  river. 

*  This  village  ig  about  seventy-five  miles  below  Ogdeug 
burgh. 


\,    In. 


'w 


t^t 


18 


I 


In  llicse  bounds  there  is  a  very  large  quantil}  oi 
exceeding  fertile  land  uninhabited,  particularly  in 
the  south  western  parts.  Here  nature  blooms,  un- 
trcd  by  man  and  smiles  with  virgin  charms  to  draw 
him  hence. 

Nor  do  I  doubt  but  that  the  time  is  near  when 
settlements  will  be  made  in  these  regions,  especi- 
ally it  his  Majesty's  successors  to  the  British  throne 
should  possess  such  a  benevolent  disposition  as 
George  III.  who  has  always  been  willing  to  give 
any  one  land  in  the  province  without  money  or  price. 
Should  this  be  the  case,  the  wilderness  will  soon 
become  a  fruitful  field,  and  the  desert  like  the  gar- 
den of  Eden.* 

Soil  and  Surface, — There  are  no  mountains  in 
the  province  of  Upper  Canada,  and  but  very  few 
hilis  of  any  considerable  height :  yet  the  country  is 
not  of  a  clear  level  but  aftbrds  enough  of  small  hills 
and  high  bodies  of  ground  to  render  it  agreealDle  to 
the  eye,  and  convenient  for  cui'^vation,  buildings, 
water  works,  Sec.  &c. 

The  mountain,  slope,  or  sudden  rise  of  ground, 
which  divides  the  waters  of  Lake  Erie  from  Lake 
Oritario,  begins  (I  kr^ow  not  how  far)  north \vest 
from  the  head  of  Lake  Ontario,  or  what  is  called 
Builington  Bay,  it  extends  around  the  head  of  the 
Bav,  a  south  east  course,  then  an  easterlv  course 
near  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Ontaiio,  (one  or  two 
miles)  till  near  and  where  it  crosses  the  outlet  of 

*  These  remarks  were  wrote  before  the  declaration  of  war 
by  the  Ameriean  government  agamst  England,  or  the  uiva- 
sion  of  Canada  :  yet  should  it  fall  into  the  possession  of  the 
United  States,  this  remark  would  be  equally  true. 


19 


uantit}-  oi 
cularlv  in 
oonis,  Un- 
as to  draw 

lear  when 
s,  especi- 
[isli  throne 
)Osition  as 
ig  to  give 
^y  or  price, 
will  soon 
ie  the  gar- 

)untains  in 
t  very  few 
;  country  is 
■  small  hills 
grceable  to 
buildings, 

of  ground, 
from  Lake 
iiorth\vest 
at  is  called 
head  of  the 
erlv  course 
(one  or  two 
le  outlet  of 

aration  of  war 
,  or  the  hiva- 
?ession  of  the 
'ue. 


Lake  Erie,  where  it  is  fifteen  miles  to  the  south  of 
Ontario.  This  rise,  towers  in  some  places  five 
hundred  feet  high,  almost  perpendicular  :  abound- 
ing with  craggy  rocks :  but  in  general,  is  not  more 
than  two  hundred  and  fifty  or  three  hundred  feet, 
and  then  the  ascent  is  very  gradual,  mostly  in  the 
form  of  an  English  summer  garden,  with  natural 
offsets  about  five  hundred  yards  wide :  there  are 
commonly  two  of  these  offsets.  On  these  offsets 
are  plantations  with  inhabitants  who  have  very  ex- 
tensive and  beautiful  prospects,  especially  those  who 
reside  on  the  top. 

Here  the  eye  can  gaze  with  pleasure  on  all  the 
fertile  fields  below%  and  has  an  unbounded  view  of 
the  Lake  Ontario,  to  the  north  east  and  some  of  the 
northern  shore.  On  the  top  of  this  rise  of  ground, 
the  whole  country  is  level,  fertile  and  beautiful,  no 
hill  to  descend  or  rise.  Nearly  all  the  waters  on  the 
south  side  of  this  slope  run  into  Lake  Eric ;  though 
there  are  a  few  that  find  their  way  through  the  slope 
and  afford  fine  falls  for  water  works. 

What  is  called  the  20,  the  30  and  40  mile  creeks 
go  through  the  slope  and  afford  excellent  falls,  on 
wliich  there  are  famous  water  Morks  at  present.  A 
considerable  part  of  this  slope  is  composed  of  craggy 
limestone  rock,  particularly  the  steep  parts,  and 
from  which  flow  a  great  number  of  fine  springs  and 
brooks,  which  water  the  fertile  plains  below. 

South  west  of  the  Niagara  falls  about  30  miles, 
and  not  far  from  the  close  of  Lake  Erie,  there  are 
what  are  called  the  short  hills.  Some  of  these  have 
the  form  of  little  mountains,  though  none  of  them 


:•^V'' 


f1^' 


'i 


p  H 


20 


are  high  or  liurd  of  ascent,  and  may  be  cultivated 
nearly  all  over.     These  hills  are  quite  rich. 

All  along  and  not  far  from  the  north  shore  of 
Lake  Ontario  the  ground  rises  tolerably  sudden  and 
considerably  high,  after  which  the  country  to  tlie 
north  is  level  enough.  Thc^e  are  few  stone  on  the 
surface  of  the  ground,  in  any  part  of  the  province, 
and  on  the  west  side  of  the  Grand  River  there  is  no 
stone  at  all,  worth  naming,  yet  there  are  enough 
beneath  the  surface  almost  every  where,  and  in  ma- 
ny places  limestone  is  plenty. 

The  soil  of  the  province  of  Upper  Canada  is  ex- 
ceeding good  in  every  part,  yet  if  possible  it  is  the 
best  in  the  ujjper  prnt  west  and  southwest  of  the 
head  of  the  B^cty  Quantie  around  the  north  shore 
and  head  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  the  west  side  of  the 
Grand  River,  in  the  London  district  already  de- 
scribed. The  lower  part  of  the  Province  is  sand 
and  clay  mixed  ;  from  the  head  of  the  Bay  Quantie 
to  the  Lead  of  Lake  Ontario,  it  is  altogether  a  black, 
light,  rich,  mould,  in  most  places  7  inches  deep,  af- 
ter which  it  is  brown  clay.  On  the  Grand  River 
or  Indian  Land  and  in  the  London  District,  the 
soil  is  sand,  brown  loam  and  clay. 

Natural  Production,  The  timber  of  the  lower 
part  of  the  Province,  is  chiefly  hemlock,  birch,  and 
ioeach.  That  of  the  middle  part,  or  from  the  be- 
ginning of  Lake  Ontario  to  the  head  is  chiefly  beach, 
sugar  maple,  and  white  pine.  On  and  west  of  the 
Gnind  River  the  chief  of  the  timber  is  white  pine. 
Elm,  bass,  black  walnut,  and  the  different  oaks, 
chesnut  and  the  like,  indeed  in  this  part  of  the  pro 


21 


iltivatecl 

ihore  of 
Iden  and 
f  to  tlic 
le  on  the 
irovincc, 
ere  is  no 
tnous:h 
d  in  ma- 
da  is  ex- 
it is  the 
it  of  the 
ih  sliore 
lIc  of  the 
iady  de- 
is  sand 
Qiiantie 
a  black, 
deep,  af- 
id  River 
:rict,  tlie 

le  lower 
irch,  and 
1  the  be- 
ly  beach, 
?st  of  the 
lite  fine, 
^nt  oaks, 
f  the  pro  • 


\'Irce  are  found  all  the  varieties  in  the  United  States ; 
ai  o  some  of  the  trees  of  the  balm  of  Gilead,  one  of 
a  majestic  appearance  stands  24  miles  west  of  Ni- 
agara on  the  main  road.  In  the  lower  part  of  the 
province  there  is  but  little  of  any  kind  of  wild  fruit, 
but  in  the  middle  part  there  are  several  sorts,  par- 
ticularly huckleberries  and  rice.*  In  the  western 
part  there  are  a  great  variety  of  wild  fruits,  and  are 
the  following  :  Cranberries,  raspberries,  blackber- 
ries, grapes,  sarvesberries,  wild  potatoes,  w^hich 
were  exceeding  useful  to  the  first  inhabitants,  straw- 
berries, plumbs  of  a  very  good  sort,  as  also  a  great 
quantity  of  the  best  crab  apples  I  ever  saw,  which 
the  inhabitants  of  new  settlements  use  by  preserv- 
ing with  the  molasses  of  pumpkins. 

Agriculture, — In  the  lower  part  of  the  province, 
tliere  are  raised  considerable  quantities  of  wheat, 
oats  and  peas.  In  the  middle  part,  wheat,  rye,  oats, 
peas,  hemp,  flax,  and  some  corn.  In  the  western 
parts  the  product  is  wheat,  which  thrives  better 
here  than  in  other  parts ;  rye,  oats  and  com  come 
to  great  perfection  as  also  buck-wheat.  All  kind<^ 
of  roots  and  vegetables  flourish  ^vell  in  any  part  of 
the  province,  but  especially  in  the  west.  Apples 
come  to  perfection  in  any  part  of  the  province, 
though  peaches  cannot  be  raised  in  the  lower  end, 
but  do  exceeding  well  within  300  miles  of  the  west 

*  This  rice  grows  in  the  bottom  of  several  shallow  lakes; 
the  stalk  is  nearly  like  the  stalk  of  oats.  The  grain  is  larg- 
er than  common  rice,  but  not  so  white,  yet  rather  of  a  better 
tiste  and  not  so  hard  to  clean.  The  Indians  collect  it  with 
their  canoes,  and  bring  large  quantities  among  the  inhabi- 
Umts,  which  they  sell  very  cheap. 


i> 


22 


end  of  the  province,  as  also  cherries,  pears,  plumbs, 
ap;  iccts  and  the  like. 

Ail  kinds  of"  tame  catde  do  well  in  any  part  of  the 
province,  but  especially  horned  cattle  and  sheep 
tlirive  well,  and  are  exceeding  healthy.  Bees  do 
exceeding  well  on  Lake  Erie  and  are  plenty  in  the 
woods. 

Climate. — The  climate  of  the  Upper  Pro'  ince 
is  temperate,  especially  near  the  head  of  Lake  On- 
tario, and  on  west  joining  the  shore,  or  of  Lake 
Erie.  All  this  part  of  the  province  lies  in  the  same 
latitude  as  from  New  York  to  Springfield  in  Con- 
necticut, yet  as  it  is  several  degrees  to  the  west,  it 
is  warmer  than  the  weather  in  the  same  latitude 
east.  It  is  also  evident  from  the  experience  and 
journal  of  several  discerning  persons,  that  have  lived 
nearly  20  years  in  this  part  of  Canada,  that  the 
weather  does  not  change  so  often  and  sudden  from 
heat  to  cold  and  cold  to  heat  as  in  most  other 
places ;  nor  are  the  seasons  of  wet  and  dry  so  ex- 
treme as  they  are  in  the  United  (especially  the 
southern)  States.  The  showers  of  rain  are  mode- 
rate and  plentiful  owing  perhaps  to  the  bounty  of 
heaven,  and  the  multitude  of  fine  lakes  of  water 
with  which  the  province  abounds. 

The  air  of  the  lower  part  of  the  province  is  ra- 
ther too  sharp  in  the  \vinter,  yet  truly  salubrious 
and  healthy  ;  the  air  in  the  upper  part  4  or  50) 
miles  to  the  southwest,  is  quite  pleasant.  What  is 
a  little  remarkable,  but  which  is  true  according  to 
a  diary  of  the  weather  which  I  kept  for  2  years,  the 
wind  blew  more  than  two  thirds  of  the  winter  or 
for  4  months,  from  the  west,  but  hardlv  ever  from 


23 


1  ■ 


the  north  or  north  west ;  yet  in  summer  it  blew 
iumost  constantly  from  the  north.  All  the  snow 
storms  in  Canada  come  from  the  north  east,  and  the 
coldest  winds  from  the  south  east  and  south.  Rain 
storms  come  from  the  north  and  north  west. 

When  the  western  part  of  the  horizon  is  red, 
fit  the  setting  of  the  sun,  it  forbodcs  foul  weather 
for  the  next  day.  In  the  upper  pail  of  this  pro- 
vince, in  the  summer  time,  there  is  a  continual 
though  moderate  gale  of  wind,  similar  to  that  in 
the  State  of  Georgia;  occasioned,  perhaps,  by  the 
many  lakes  of  water.  Tliis  being  the  case,  the 
hottest  days  are  rendered  pleasant.  Hurricanes  or 
tornadoes  have  not  been  seen  in  Canada  since  it  has 
been  settled  by  \\  hite  people.  Yet  there  is  every 
appearance  of  them  on  all  the  north  shore  of  Lake 
Ontario  ;  having  once  raged  with  great  fury,  as  all 
the  timber  has  been  torn  up  by  the  roots,  from  sup- 
position about  600  years  ago. 

Commerce. — The  commerce  of  the  upper  pro- 
vince  has  of  late  years  been  considerable,  and  of 
great  benefit  to  the  inhabitants,  as  well  as  to  Great 
Britain.  Within  8  years,  the  exports  of  both  pro- 
vinces have  amounted  to  about  2  millions  and  a 
half  of  dollars,  though  the  greater^t  part  of  these  ex- 
ports belong  to  the  upper  province. 

It  appears  that  there  were  exported  from  both 
provinces,  in  the  years  1802-3-4-5,  1,012,000 
bushels  of  wheat  each  year,  on  an  average,  40,000 
barrels  of  flour,  and  34,000  weight  of  biscuit,  be- 
sides much  potash,  timber,  fur,  Sec. 

In  the  years  1809-10-11,  there  has  been  timber 


')^'^^ 


'. 


i 

I 


I'  I 

I: 
]  i 

t 

i: 


24 


for  vessels  and  casks,  taken  to  England,  to  the 
amount  of  200,000  pounds  sterling. 
■  In  these  years,  there  were  320  vessels  employed 
in  taking  away  this  produce,  amounting  to  4500 
tons.  The  common  price  of  wheat  is  1  dollar  per 
bushel,  and  sometimes  1  dollar  and  25  cents — corn 
50  cents,  and  rye,  75  cen  s — pork  6  dollars  per 
cwt. — These  prices  are  common  in  every  part  uf 
the  province. 

Dry  goods  and  groceries  are  brought  to  Canada, 
in  great  quantities,  from  England  and  the  United 
States,  which,  considering  the  great  distance  they 
come,  are  sold  very  cheap.  At  Niagara  and  other 
places,  green  tea  is  sold  for  one  dollar  per  pound, 
molasses  10  shillhigs  per  gallon,  and  brown  sugar 
1  shilling  per  pound  or  8  pounds  for  a  dollar,  but 
since  the  war  it  can  be  had  for  eight  cents  per 
pound. 

Tolerably  fine  calicoes  are  often  bought  for  25 
cents  per  yard,  and  salt  has  been  generally  sold  at 
1  dollar  per  bushel,  but  since  the  war  it  has  sold 
at  4.* 

Animals, — I  believe  that  all  the  variety  of  ani- 
mals common  to  most  places  in  the  United  States, 
are  found  here,  except  rats,  which  are  not  to  be 
found  in  the  province  of  Upper  Canada. 

A  few  years  ago,  there  was  a  she  bear  cauglit 
near  York,  and  dissected  by  a  surgeon  of  the  place, 


1: 


*  Gold  is  the  current  coin  of  Canada,  and  is  quite  plenty 
of  late  years,  since  there  has  been  so  good  a  market  for 
timber. 


^1 


md,  to  the 

5  employed 
ig  to  4500 
I  dollar  per 
;ents — corn 
dollars  per 
^ery  part  uf 

:  to  Canada, 
the  United 
[Stance  they 
a  and  other 
per  pound, 
rown  sugar 
dollar,  but 
t  cents  per 

ught  for  25 
ally  sold  at 
'  it  has  sold 

iety  of  ani- 
lited  States, 
re  not  to  be 

L. 

3ear  caught 
3f  the  place, 


IS  quite  plenty 
\  a  market  for 


25 


which  was  found  to  be  with  young ;  and  which  is 
the  only  instance,  I  believe,  that  has  occurred  of 
the  like  in  North  America.^  Bears  are  plenty  in 
all  parts  of  the  province,  but  more  abundant  in  the 
south  west  part.  It  is  very  remarkable,  that  bears 
do  not  often  destroy  hogs,  in  Canada ;  however, 
they  are  troublesome  to  the  inhabitants  in  the  fall, 
by  infesting  their  corn  fields,  yet  the  people  lose 
but  little  by  them,  as  they  kill  many  for  food. 

There  are  also  an  abundance  of  hedge-hogs  in 
the  province,  and  which  the  Indians  eat  counting 
them  good.  In  the  south  west  parts  there  are  plen- 
ty of  deer,  an  abundance  of  which  are  taken  every 
winter  by  the  Indians. 

There  are  also  plenty  ofall  kinds  of  birds  which 
are  found  in  the  United  States,  except  turkey-buz- 
zards, which  are  very  scarce.  There  is  also  a  kind 
of  bird  found  here  about  the  size,  and  has  the  same 
motion  and  voice  as  the  parikite,  so  plenty  in  the 
state  of  Kentucky,  yet  not  of  the  same  colour,  but 
is  grey ;  it  is  called  by  some  the  frolic.  Wild  ducks 
are  found  in  great  ])lenty  in  and  around  the  shores 
of  all  the  Lakes.  Geese  are  not  plenty  in  the  waters 
of  Lakes  Ontario  and  I'^rie  at  present,  but  used  to 
be  before  the  country  was  settled  by  white  people, 
yet  they  are  plenty  enough  in  all  the  lakes  north  of 

the  setdements. 

:'  -       }  :    '        '     '       '  ■      ■     ■   '  ^\ 

*  It  is  said  by  the  Indian  hunters,  that  when  the  she-bears 
are  with  young,  they  travel  far  to  the  north,  and  secret 
themselves  in  places  untrod  by  human  foot,  until  after  tlieir 
cubs  arc  fit  to  travel. 


r 


26 


!( 


it 


■^:      H 


111  the  north  end  of  the  province  there  are  no 
snakes  of  any  kind  to  be  found,  but  different  sorts 
are  found  plenty  enough  in  the  south  west  end.  A 
number  of  years  ago  there  were  several  people  of 
respectability,  who  reported  that  they  saw  in  Lake 
Ontario  several  large  snakes,  about  20  yaixls  in 
length.  In  June,  1811,  a  snake  was  seen  in  this 
lake,  near  the  mouth  of  the  river  Credit,  16  miles 
above  York.  I  was  acquainted  with  some  who  saw 
it,  and  believe  them  to  be  people  of  truth.  It  carac 
witliin  7  yards  of  the  boat  that  they  were  in,  and 
played  about  it,  and  was  judged  to  be  30  feet  in 
length,  and  3  in  circumference.*  There  are  seals 
in  this  lake,  some  of  which  have  been  caught. 

Fish — Lake  Ontario  abounds  with  fish  of  almost 
every  kind,  but  the  salmon  and  saimon-trout  are 
the  most  and  far  the  best.  The  salmon  appear  in 
very  large  quantities  in  the  fall  of  the  year  and  pe- 
netrate up  all  the  waters  that  run  into  the  lake,  so 
high  thiit  they  are  often  thrown  out  with  the  hand ; 
but  they  are  commonly  taken  near  the  moudi  of  the 
rivers  by  the  Indians  in  the  night,  by  means  of 
spears.  They  commonly  weigh  from  10  to  20 
pounds,  and  may  be  purchased  of  the  Indians  at  1 
shilling  each,  or  for  a  gill  of  whiskey,  a  cake  of 


*  From  the  head  of  (he  Bay  Quanfic  to  a  little  lake  thai 
empties  into  Lake  Ontario,  it  h  not  more  than  a  mile  and 
three  quarters.  It  is  very  smooth.  At  different  times  the  in- 
habitants  have  in  the  morninp  seen  tracks,  as  if  a  \RTge  lo<i; 
had  been  drawn  along  from  the  bay  to  the  lake  j  this  was  sup 
posed  to  have  been  done  by  snakes. 


LTe  are  no 
irent  sorts 
jst  end.  A 
1  people  of 
lvv  in  Luke 
[J  yards  in 
een  in  this 
:,  16  miles 
le  who  saw 
h.   It  eanie 
?re  in,  and 
;  30  feet  in 
re  are  seals 
caught. 
>h  of  almost 
)n-trout  are 
n  appear  in 
ear  and  pe- 
he  lake,  so 
1  the  hand ; 
louth  of  the 
Y  means  of 
1  10  to  20 
ndians  at  1 
a  cake  of 


ittle  lake  that 
an  a  mile  and 
t  times  the  hi- 
if  a  lar{];e  lo<!; 
;  this  was  8Ui' 


bread,  or  tlie  like  trifle.     They  are  of  great  benefit 
to  the  inhabitants,  especially  the  poorer  class. 

The  salmon  trout  appear  in  the  spring,  thongli 
not  in  so  great  plenty,  but  are  larger,  weighing 
from  15  to  30  pounds,  and  are  much  fatter  than 
salmon.* 

There  are  sevend  other  fish  of  an  excellent  qual- 
ity, and  plenty,  particularly  bass  and  herring  :  the 
latter  very  much  resemble  the  sea  herring,  though 
they  are  not  so  full  of  small  bones.  In  the  month 
of  November  they  are  taken  in  great  abundance 
from  the  water  communication  between  the  main 
Lake  and  the  little  Lake  otherwise  called  Burling- 
ton Bay,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Ontario.  They  are 
taken  with  the  net,  the  channel  of  water  between 
the  two  lakes  being  not  more  than  8  feet  deep  and 
about  60  wide  and  300  yards  long. 

Very  good  and  large  eels  are  also  taken  out  of 
the  lake,  yet  they  are  but  little  valued,  except  by 
the  Indians. 

There  are  a  great  number  of  fish  in  Lake  Erie 
some  of  which  are  very  valuable,  particularly  what 
is  called  the  white  fish, 

There  are  not  many  eels  in  this  lake  ;  what  few 
there  are  have  nuilti[)licd  from  20  \\hich  a  British 
oflicer  put  into  it  from  Lake  Ontiirio  37  yeary  ago. 


*  It  is  a  subject  of  some  speculation  whether  thes^e  pal- 
mon  go  to  tlie  pea  every  season  or  not,  if  tliey  <lo  they  have 
to  travel  8G0  iniled  out,  and  as  many  in,  which  would  be 
1720  miles  in  eight  months, 


•T^ 

Is. 

..■'"    1 

.,|. 

^'^ 


i 


li 


mmmm 


28 


¥.m 


a  ^Ivi 


Alines  and  Mi?ierals, — In  the  Johnstown  districi 
there  is  an  iron  mine  of  considerable  value,  from 
which  iron  has  been  made  for  many  years. 

In  the  district  of  London,  Charlotteville  town- 
ship, there  was  a  large  and  rich  body  of  iron  ore 
discovered  in  tlie  year  1810,  and  from  which  there 
lias  been  a  little  iron  made  of  an  excellent  quality. 
There  are  several  more  mines  or  bodies  of  iron  ore 
ibund  in  difterent  parts  of  the  province,  yet  there 
is  but  little  attention  paid  to  them,  though  they 
might  be  valuable,  should  they  fall  into  the  pos- 
session of  men  of  an  enterprising  spirit.  There 
are  also  some  lead  mines  that  are  said  to  be  very 
rich  and  good.       *  ' 

In  the  forks  of  Grand  River  which  empties  into 
Luke  Erie,  and  about  50  miles  from  the  same,  on 
the  land  owned  \)y  the  Six  Nations  of  Indians, 
there  has  lately  been  discovered  a  body  of  plaister,  or 
what  is  called  plaister  of  Paris.  It  lays  in  the  bowels  of 
a  large  hill,  but  how  much  it  contains  is  not  know^n. 
This  plaister  has  been  used  in  different  parts  of  the 
country  adjacent,  and  answers  every  valuable  pur- 
])ose,  as  well  as  that  which  is  brought  from  France  or 
Nova- Scotia  does  in  the  United  States.  No  soil  can 
be  better  adapted  to  the  use  of  plaister,  than  that 
of  the  district  of  London,  which  joins  on  the  Grand 
River. 

In  the  Township  of  Townsend,  there  is  a  clay 
that  paints  nearly  as  well  as  Spanish  brown,  and 
many  people  use  it  instead  thereof.  Also  in  some 
other  parts  there  are  ckns  that  paint  very  well. 

There  is  a  number  of  salt  springs  hi  almost  every 


c: 
ni 

it 


f'i.'S^^ 


^n  districi 
lue,  from 
s. 

ille  town- 
)JL  iron  ore 
liich  there 
It  quality, 
af  iron  ore 
yet  there 
3ugh  they 
0  the  pos- 
it. There 
to  be  very 

-npties  into 
e  same,  on 
)f  Indians, 
'plaister,or 
e  bowels  of 
lot  known, 
parts  of  the 
luable  pur- 
n  Fraiice  or 
No  soil  can 
,  than  that 
1  the  Grand 

re  is  a  clay 
jrown,  and 
Iso  in  some 
cry  well. 
Imost  every 


20 


part  of  Canada,  although  there  has-not  been  much 
salt  made  in  the  province  hitherto,  it  having  been 
brought  from  the  different  salt-works  in  the  State 
of  New- York,  in  great  abundance.  However  there 
has  been  salt  made  from  some,  of  an  excellent  qual- 
ity, particularly  in  Lincoln  county,  near  Niagara, 
and  in  the  township  of  Percy,  Newcastle  district. 

There  is  a  number  of  medical  springs  in  the  pro- 
viiK^e.  of  an  excellent  quality.  One  in  the  township 
of  Woodhouse,  is  of  a  sulphurous  nature  :  a  quart 
will  purge  well,  and  of  the  same  sort  is  the  one  in 
Middleton  on  Big  Creek.  12  miles  east  of  York 
there  is  a  spring  of  great  medical  virtue. 

Lakes. — There  are  7  lakes  of  considerable  size 
in  the  inhabited  part  of  the  province,  and 
many  more  in  the  wilderness.  Lake  Ontario  is 
about  230  miles  long,  from  north-east  to  south- 
west, and  80  w  ide  about  the  middle  ;  being  of  aij 
oval  form,  it  is  exceeding  deep,  and  in  most  places 
it  appears  to  be  without  bottom,  as  there  has  been 
great  length  of  cord  let  down  ^vithout  finding  any. 
The  water  is  very  clear  and  cool  at  all  times  of  the 
year,  having  the  appearance  of  a  large  spring. 
This  lake  never  freezes  except  near  the  shore 
where  it  is  shallow ;  nor  does  it  freeze  there  only  a 
few  weeks  in  the  most  severe  weather.  It  is  pret- 
ty certain  that  there  is  more  water  runs  out  of  this 
lake  than  runs  in,  and  when  we  consider  its  very 
extensive  surface,  it  is  also  certain  that  there  is 
much  of  its  water  evaporated  by  the  sun  :  of  course 
it  must  hide  many  exceeding  large  springs.    '^ 

Lake  Ontario  has  sunk  within  its  banks  since 

c  a 


'  1. , 


K 


4 


30 


i 


fu 


the  notice  of  its  present  inhabitants,  say  37  years, 
and  some  Indians  inform  that  their  fore-lathers 
say  that  it  was  once  as  high  as  the  heighth  oi  the 
Niagara  Fall,  and  that  the  waters  of  lakes  Ontario 
and  Elrie  joined  in  most  places;  but  as  to  the  truth 
of  this  assertion  I  will  not  pretend  to  say ;  yet  I  am 
of  the  opinion  that  the  water  of  Lake  Ontario  once 
reached  to  the  foot  of  the  mountain  or  slope  of 
ground  already  named,  and  I  am  led  to  this  belief 
from  the  circumstance  of  pebble  stones  being  dug 
up  from  every  part  oi  the  surface,  and  underneath 
the  same,  between  it  and  the  shore.  The  foot  of 
the  mountain  is  20  feet  higher  than  the  lake. 

There  are  not  many  islands  in  this  lake  except 
near  the  lower  end,  where  they  are  plenty. 

In  m^ny  places  the  ground  descends  to  the  water 
very  gradually,  and  there  is  no  bank  at  all,  except 
a  sandy  or  gravelly  beach ;  but  in  other  places  the 
banks  are  15  feet  high.* 

The  wind  has  a  great  effect  upon  this  lake,  and 
the  waves  sometimes  run  high ;  yet  it  is  tolerably 
safe  for  navigation,  there  being  but  few  shoals  or 
rocks  at  any  distance  from  the  shore. 

There  are  a  number  of  vessels  on  this  lake,  and 
some  of  considerable  size.  The  sight  of  so  great 
a  body  of  water  in  the  midst  of  the  wilderness,  en- 
riched with  ships  sailing  and  colours  flying,  is  tru- 
ly pleasing  and  romantic,  t 


'.S 


»  Almost  all  the  north  shore  has  Kiih  banks. 

f  HTiere  are  many  prospective  situations  on  the  bank^ 
0f  this  lake. 


31 


37  years, 
ore-tathers 
jhth  ot  the 
^  Ontario 
o  the  truth 

;  yet  I  am 
iitario  once 
)r  slope  of 
>  this  belief 

being  dug 
underneath 
The  foot  of 
lake. 

lake  except 
ity. 

to  the  water 
;all,  except 
r  places  the 

is  lake,  and 
:  is  tolerably 
;w  shoals  or 

lis  lake,  and 
t  of  so  great 
Iderness,  en- 
lying,  is  tru- 


kke. 
on  the  bank^ 


'  The  Little  Lake,  or  Burlington  Bay,  lies  at  the 
south  west  end  of  this  lake,  and  is  divided  Irom  it 
by  a  causeway,  5  miles  long,  and  in  most  places 
300  yards  wide,  the  surface  of  this  causeway  is 
completely  level,  of  a  light  sand,  matted  over  with 
grass  and  beautifully  decorated  with  groves  of  tim- 
ber, chiefly  oak  of  a  middle  size,  but  of  an  endless 
variety  of  curious  forms — some  6  feet  in  circumfe- 
rence at  the  butt,  yet  not  more  than  12  feet  high, 
with  extensive  limbs,  crooking  and  turning  in  all 
directions.  A  great  number  of  these  trees  are  en- 
tirely encircled  v/ith  grape  vines,  and  produce 
great  quantities  of  grapes  of  an  excellent  quality. 
The  former  residence  of  the  noted  Col.  Brandt  is 
near  this  place.  This  causeway  is  broken  off  in 
one  place,  as  already  noted,  about  a  mile  from  the 
north  west  shore,  and  is  about  5  feet  higher  than 
the  w  ater.  It  is  a  beautiful  place  for  a  summer 
seat.*  The  Little  Lc-.ke  to  the  west  of  this 
causeway  is  about  20  miles  in  circumference,  and 
is  generally  shallow,  although  deep  in  some  places. 

It  is  thought  that  there  are  salt  springs  in  the 
bottom  of  this  lake,  because  the  herring  chiefly  re- 
side in  it.     It  is  f  mous  for  ducks  and  eels,  f 

There  are  aconsid-  rable  number  of  harbours  in 
Lake  Ontario,  but  the  most  noted  and  curious  is 


*  Not  far  from  the  middle  there  are  a  number  of  Indians 
buried.  In  the  winter  of  1810,  this  causeway  was  shook  in 
a  violent  manner  by  an  earthquake. 

f  Not  far  from  thi?  bay  there  is  a  volcano  of  some  note 


•y 


M 


I 


that  of  Presqu'isle,  in  the  district  of  New-castle, 
Cramahe  township  on  the  lake  shore,  aboui  75 
miles  south  west  of  Kingston.  There  are  two 
points  of  land,  about  four  miles  apart,  which 
extend  out  from  the  main  shore,  but  draw  near- 
er each  other  as  they  extend  into  the  lake,  and 
finally  meet  in  a  rounding  form,  about  5  miles  from 
the  shore.  These  arms  of  land  are  level  on  the  top, 
and  are  about  5  or  8  feet  above  the  water.  About 
3  miles  from  the  shore,  there  is  a  channel  of  water 
which  runs  through  the  east  point  of  land,  about 
150  yiuxls  wide,  and  50  feet  deep.  This  channel 
lets  in  the  vessels,  which  can  sail  all  ovci  the  h  ir- 
bour  with  safety,  and  in  going  up  to  the  top,  or 
where  the  two  arms  meet,  which  is  in  form  like  a 
horse-shoe,  tiie  largest  ships  may  come  close  uj)  to 
the  banks,  which  are  perpendicular  of  solid  rock. 
A  plank  is  put  from  the  shore  to  the  vessel,  when 
it  is  to  be  loaded. 

The  Bay  Quantie  connects  with  Lake  Ontario,  a 
small  distance  west  of  Kingston,  and  extends  70 
miles  west  up  towards  the  south  west,  parallel  with 
it.  It  is  1  mile  wide  in  some  places  and  6  in 
others.  There  are  a  considerable  number  of  arms^ 
or  smaller  bays,  which  put  out  from  it,  some  10 
miles  long.  This  bay  is  very  safe  for  navigation, 
being  very  deep,  and  secure  from  the  effect  of  high 
winds.  Most  of  the  traders,  with  small  vessels, 
who  go  from  Kingston  to  York,  Niagara,  or  De- 
troit, ]Dass  up  this  bay  to  the  head,  which  is  only  1 
mile  and  3  quarters  from  a  small  lake  called  Wil- 
low's Lake  that  puts  into  Lake  Ontario,  and  here 


tb 


il^>H!f, 


liie  vessels  arc  carried  across  by  means  of  wheels 
and  oxen.  The  road  is  quite  level  and  sandy. 
Those  traders  which  come  down  I  ike  Ontai'io 
generally  cross  this  carrying  place  luco  the  bay. 
Although  the  Bay  Quantie,  and  the  Lake  Ontario 
are  so  near  here,  yet  they  are  30  miles  apart  in 
some  places,  owing  to  an  extensive  projection  of 
some  points  of  land  into  the  lake,  and  no  doubt 
their  being  so  near  at  the  head  of  the  bay,  is  a  di- 
vine interposition  of  Providence  for  the  benefit  of 
the  inhabitants. 

There  are  several  small  lakes  in  the  peninsula 
between  the  lake  and  bay,  which  abound  with  fish, 
one  of  which  deserves  particular  notice,  called  the 
Mountain  Lake.  This  lake  is  situated  in  Hal- 
lowell  township.  Prince  Edward  county.  Midland 
distiict,  34  miles  from  Kingston,  on  the  bay  shore. 
It  lies  on  the  top  of  a  mountain  judged  to  be  200 
feet  high:  but  in  the  month  of  December,  1812,  I 
stood  on  the  ice  of  the  Bay,  in  front  of  it,  and  after 
taking  the  height  I  found  it  to  be  only  100  and  60 
feet.  This  lake  is  about  3  miles  in  circumference, 
and  very  deep  in  most  places,  abounding  with  fish 
of  diiferent  sorts.  How  fish  could  get  into  this 
lake  is  a  matter  of  deep  speculation,  as  it  has  no 
connexion  with  the  bav  or  lake,  onlv  bv  the  small 
stieam  that  flows  from  it  into  the  bay  by  a  fall  of 
160  ibet  nearly  perpendicuhir. 

Under  these  falls  there  is  now  a  grist  mill,  near 
the  bay  shore,  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Vanalstine. 

Near   the   head   of  the   Bay   Quantie,   on   the 
north  bide,  there  is  a  lake  of  considerable  sizQ 


i  ■ 


i, ' 


;. 


34 


called  the  Hog  Lake,  as  also  several  others  not  tar 
distant.  About  20  miles  \\  est  of  the  head  of  the 
Bay  Quantie,  and  15  miles  north  of  the  shore  of 
Lake  Ontario  is  situated  what  is  called  the  Rice 
Lake,  on  account  of  the  great  quantity  of  rice  which 
grows  in  it.  This  lake  is  from  3  to  9  miles  wide, 
and  36  in  length,  though  not  very  deep.  Its  course 
is  from  east  to  west,  the  west  end  is  not  far  from 
Lake  Simcoe.  At  the  cast  end  there  is  a  fall  of  18 
leet  perpendicular,  in  the  form  of  a  half  moon.*- 
Below  the  falls,  begins  what  is  called  the  river  Trent 
which  is  tolerable  krg-e,  and  affords  many  falls  fit  for 
water  works  :  it  empties  in  tlie  Bay  Quantie  at  the 
head.  This  lake  communicates  with  a  chain  '^f  small 
lakes  called  the  Shallow  lakes  which  afford  rice  also, 
and  extends  near  the  north  end  of  Lake  Simcoe  : 
Lake  Simcoe  lies  still  west  of  Rice  L<ike,  and  is 
some  larger.  It  communicates  with  Lake  Huron 
to  the  south  west  by  the  river  Severn.      •  -..    . 

Lake  Erie  which  lies  30  miles  from  any  part  of 
Lake  Ontario,  on  the  south  west  is  nearly  300  miles 
long  from  north  east  to  south  west,  and  from  20  to 
40  miles  wide.  This  lake  lies  nearly  300  feet  high- 
er than  Luke  Ontario,  which  is  die  reason  of  the 


*  The  land  around  these  falls  is  very  rich,  well  watered, 
clear  of  stone  on  the  surface,  light  timbered,  lays  hand- 
some and  prospective,  though  a  wilderness  now.  Should 
some  enterprising  gentlemen  establish  themselves  here  and 
Greet  water-works  this  would  sojii  be  a  valuable  place,  'i'lie 
dislH.ice  from  these  falls  down  to  the  Bay  Quantie  is  20 
Siilos  only.    .  ,    ^ .    . . 


^u'--:^  ;^u 


^-  'iS^; 


35 


i  not  tVir 
\  of  the 
shore  ol" 
the  Rice 
ce  which 
ics  wide, 
[ts  course 
far  from 
I  fall  of  IB 
f  moou.^' 
iver  Trent 
fiills  fit  for 
mUe  at  the 
dn^f  small 
d  rice  also, 
;  Sinicoe  : 
ke,  and  is 
e  Huron 

tny  part  of 
300  miles 
from  20  to 
|o  feet  high- 
ison  of  the 


Niagara  falls.  It  is  also  pure  and  cleiu  water,  vhoug 
not  so  deep  as  Lake  Ontario,  nor  is  it  so  safe  i- 
navigation,  or  afford  so  many  fine  harbours.  Thci . 
are  some  islands  near  the  west  end  of  this  lake  that 
contain  many  bad  snakes.  The  shore  of  this  lake 
in  most  places  is  nearly  level  with  the  land,  and  ve- 
ry smooth  and  sandy.  It  is  thought  that  full  as  much 
water  runs  out  of  this  lake  as  runs  in.* 

There  are  other  Lakes  in  Canada.  The  Lake 
St.  Clair  lies  in  a  north  westerly  course  from  Lake 
Erie.  Still  farther  to  the  north  west  is  Lake  Huron, 
100  miles  in  circumference,  in  latitude  42.  From 
Lake  Huron,  through  the  straits  of  Marie,  it  is  70 
miles  to  Lake  Superior,  which  lies  between  46  and 
50  degrees  north  latitude,  and  between  84  and  90 
degrees  west  longitude  from  London.  The  Isle 
Royal,  which  is  near  the  middle  of  this  Lake,  is  100 
miles  long  and  40  wide.  In  the  middle  of  this 
Island  is  the  line  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain. 

Rivers, — Although  Canada  is  a  level  country,  yet 
it  is  not  so  low  and  flat  as  not  to  afford  any  streams 
of  water,  but  on  the  contrary  has  many  w^hich  rini 
clear  and  afford  excellent  falls  for  water  works,  the 
principal  of  which  are  the  following  : — 


^ 


IweU  watered, 
Id,  lays  hand- 
no^y.  Should 
rives  here  jmd 
)le  place,  'i'^'^^ 
buantie  is  20 


*  Lake  Erie  extends  60  miles  north  east  of  the  head,  or 
west  end  of  Lake  Ontario.  To  draw  a  line  due  south,  from 
the  west  end  of  Lake  Ontario  to  Lake  Erie,  it  would  strike 
it  GO  miles  from  the  east  end. 


fv 


ft  ■•' 


n 


m 


The  Ottaways  river-*  is  a  large  stream  that  risc^ 
out  of  Lake  Tomis  canting  and  runs  a  south  east 
course.  It  is  the  line  between  the  two  provinces 
for  some  distance,  and  crosses  into  the  lower  pro- 
vince,  and  empties  into  the  river  St.  Lawrence 
above  and  below  Montreal.  The  spring  floods 
in  this  river  rise  in  the  month  of  June ;  it  inundates 
its  banks  and  often  spoils  the  farmer's  young 
crop.  The  reason  of  this  is,  the  river  extends  so 
great  a  distance  to  the  north  west,  where  the  spring- 
does  not  begin  until  the  last  of  May,  and  by  the 
time  the  snow  is  thawed,  and  the  ice  in  the  lake  bro- 
ken up,  and  the  water  descends  to  the  settled  parts 
of  the  province  near  the  mouth  of  the  river,  it  is  the 
middle  of  June.  There  are  a  great  number  of  fish 
of  various  sorts  in  this  river.  There  are  consider- 
able falls  in  it,  though  none  of  a  perpendicular  de- 
scent. 

There  are  several  more  rivers  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  province  which  empty  into  the  St.  Lawrence, 
and  abound  with  fish.  The  river  Cananocqua, 
which  empties  into  it  14  miles  below  Kingston,  is 
of  considerable  size. 

What  is  called  Myres's  Creek,  which  empties 
into  the  Bay  Quantie,  from  the  north,  50  miles 
from  Kingston,  is  considerably  large,  very  clear 
and  pure,  and  runs  near  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
affords  fine  falls  for  water  works,  and  abounds 
with  fish.  ' 

*  This  river  is  sometimes  called  Grand  River,  though  nf>i| 
proper. 


37 


,1 


that  risc^ 
outh  east 
provinces 
3wer  pro- 
Lawrencc 
mg  floods 
inundates 
s    young 
xtends  so 
the  spring 
md  by  the 
lelakebro- 
;ettled  parts 
ver,  it  is  the 
nber  of  iish 
re  consider- 
idicular  de- 

lower  part 
t.  Lawrence, 
Dananocqua, 
Kingston,  is 

hich  empties 
h,  50  miles 
-,  very  clear 
f  the  ground, 
and  abounds 


iver,  though  nf>' 


Tlie  river  Trent,  already  named,  empties  into  the 
head  of  the  Bay  Quantie  from  the  Rice  Lake,  is 
large  and  abounds  with  fish. 

Many  hundred  barrels  of  excellent  salmon  arc 
taken  out  of  this  river  every  fall. 

From  the  head  of  the  Bay  Quantie,  for  70  miles 
towards  the  south  west,  up  the  lake  Ontario,  there 
are  no  rivers  of  any  considerable  size  that  empty  in- 
to the  lake  ;  yet  there  is  an  abundance  of  small  and 
pearly  creeks  and  brooks — indeed  it  is  the  best  wa- 
tered part  in  Canada.  Smith's  and  Lion's  Creeks 
are  streams  of  some  note. 

What  is  called  Duffen's  Creek,  is  a  fine  stream, 
abounding  with  fish  ;  it  empties  into  Lake  Ontiirio, 
30  miles  below,  or  north  east  of  York.  'u 

The  river  Rush  empties  into  the  lake  18  miles 
below  York ;  it  is  tolerably  large,  and  navigable  for 
boats  20  miles  up. 

From  this  river  there  is  an  abundance  of  sal- 
mon taken  every  fall.  Still  up  towards  the  head  of 
Lake  Ontiu'io,  there  are  a  number  more  of  fine 
streams. 

Sixteen  miles  al)o\'e  York,  empties  into  the  lake 
the  river  Credit,  'i^his  is  one  of  the  best  rivers  in 
Canada  for  salmon ;  it  is  tolerably  large.  The  sal- 
mon are  taken  out  of  this  and  other  rivers  in  the 
night  by  means  of  spears.  The  fishermen  have  an 
iron  frame  fixed  In  the  fore  part  of  their  canoes,  in 
which  they  place  pine  knots  and  fire  for  light.  They 
then  paddle  along  in  the  river,  and  sec  the  salmon 
floating  near  the  surface  of  the  water,  w  liere  they 
come  by  the  influence  of  the  light.    They  ire  quite 


msam 


38 


iM 


•- 


tame  and  are  struck  with  ease.  The  sahnoii  come 
up  the  rivers  in  large  quantities  together  on  pur- 
pose to  spawn.* 

Ten  miles  still  farther  up  the  lake,  empties  in 
Avhat  is  called  the  16  mile  Creek,  which  is  tolerably 
large  and  famous  for  fish.  Five  miles  farther  is 
what  is  called  the  12  mile  Creek,  a  beautiful  stream, 
abounding  with  fish,  and  many  fine  falls  for  \Mitcr 
works. 

There  are  several  fine  streams  that  run  into  the 
head  of  Lake  Ontario  and  Burlington  Bay. 

The  Chippeway  river  runs  into  the  Niagara  riv- 
er 3  miles  above  the  falls,  and  is  toleraljly  large  and 
long.  What  is  called  the  20  mile  Creek,  rises  near 
the  head  of  the  Chippeway,  from  a  large  pond, 
flows  a  north  east  course  and  plunges  down  the 
slope  of  ground  already  described,  by  several  per- 
pendicular pitches  in  different  places,  aflbrding  ex- 
cellent seats  for  water  works.  It  empties  into  Lake 
Ontario  16  miles  west  of  Niagara. 

The  15,  16,  17,  30,  and  40  mile  Creeks  all  run 
into  Lake  Ontario  and  plunge  over  the  slope  and 
aftord  fine  falls. 

The  river  Niagara,  or  outlet  of  Lake  Erie,  is  ve- 
ry large  before  it  empties  into  Lake  Ontario,  but 
is  still  larger  after  it  leaves  the  lake,  or  river  St. 
Lawrence.  This  river  will  be  fully  described  in  the 
Appendix. 


*  Whenever  the  Indians  sold  any  part  of  Upper  Canada  fo 
the  kini5  ^^  England,  they  reserved  the  creeks  that  run  into 
Lake  Ontario,  and  some  land  eaeb  side. 


■'Hi: 


II 


on  conic 
on  pur- 

npties  in 
tolerably 
krther  is 
il  stream, 
for  \Mitcr 

.  into  the 

agara  riv- 
large  and 
rises  near 
rge  pond, 
down  the 
vcral  per- 
Drding  ex- 
into  Lake 

^ks  all  run 
slope  and 

f^rie,  is  ve- 
itario,  but 
r  river  St. 
ibed  in  the 


■rr 


There  are  several  considerable  streani<>  that  run 
into  Lake  Erie. 

The  Grand  river  is  a  considerable  large  stream 
of  exceeding  clear  water  rising  from  the  small  Lake 
St.  Clie.    It  is  navigable  for  vessels  of  considerable       "'f' 
size  for  50  miles  from  its  mouth.     It  empties  into 
Lake  Erie  60  miles  from  the  east  end,  and  contains        j 
many  fine  fish.*    This  river  is  in  the  possession  of      '  1 
the  Six  Nations  of  Indians  ;  they  own  6  miles  of        | 
land  each  side  of  it  from  the  mouth  to  the  head. 

The  Thames  is  large  and  beautiful,  rishig  near 
the  head  of  the  Grand  River,  and  runs  nearly  a 
south  course  into  the  waters  that  come  from  Lake 
Superior  into  the  head  of  Lake  Erie.  It  empties 
30  miles  above  Sandwich.  There  are  a  number 
more  fine  streams  that  run  into  Lake  Erie  ;  such 
as  Big  Creek  passing  through  Middleton  and 
Houghton  townships,  as  also  Kettle  and  Outer 
Creeks  in  Middlesex  county. 

Indians, — There  are  seven  distinct  nations  of  In- 
dians in  the  inhabited  part  of  Canada  ,  six  of  these 
nations  live  on  the  Grand  River  already  noted,  viz. 
the  Mohawks,  the  Chippewas,  the  Delawarcs,  the 
Massasaugas,t  the  Tuscaroras,  and  Senacas.  Each 


*  I  think  it  proper  to  rectify  a  mistake  which  eomchow 

got  into  Morse's  (ieoa;raphy,  printed  in  Boston,  1811,  where  i' 

this  Grand  River  is  represented  as  "passinn;  through  Ilice  L 

Luke  and  mingling  with  the  waters  of  Ontario."  i 


I 


er  Canada  to 
that  run  into 


+  These   lVTa8sasau2:a<*  were   the   original  proprietors  of 
Ul)per  Canada  and  are  now  the  most  iiumerouB. 


\w 


?j'li 


40 


mi 


.■'I 


■f'l 


1)! 


u['  these  nations  have  their  king  or  chief,  and  theii 
village  and  council  house.  They  also  speak  a  dif- 
ferent language,  yet  understand  each  other  very 
w  ell.  These  six  nations  of  Indians  on  the  Grand  Riv- 
er, in  number  1976,  have  attained  to  a  tolerable  de^ 
gree  of  civilization.  They  speak  the  English  lan- 
guage with  some  propriety,  and  have  school  sand  the 
gospel  continually  among  them.  The  school  teach- 
ers are  paid  by  the  king,  and  also  their  preacher. 
A  number  of  these  Indians  have  very  good  English 
learning,  and  are  very  industrious  :  some  of  the 
families  have  raised  in  one  year  300  bushels  of 
\vheat.  They  are  very  kind  to  strangers,  and  will 
give  the  best  of  their  food  or  drink  to  them.  They 
are  all  firmly  attached  to  the  interest  of  the  British 
government,  and  are  exercised  in  the  military  use 
of  arms,  several  times  in  the  year.  They  can  mus- 
ter 600  \\arriors ;  though  the  Massasaugas  are  not 
good  to  fight,  nor  for  any  thing  else.  There  are  a 
considerable  number  of  this  tribe  residing  in  other 
parts  of  the  province,  some  on  the  16  mile  creek 
aljove  York,  already  named,  others  on  die  bank  of 
the  Lake  Simcoe,  and  others  on  the  Rice  Lake. 

Besides  those  of  die  Mohawks  on  the  Grand  Riv- 
t  r,  there  arc  a  considerable  number  living  near  the 
Bay  Quantie,  on  the  north  side,  about  the  middle. 
They  own  a  tract  of  land  12  miles  square,  and 
have  scMOols,  and  the  gospel  among  them  also. 

There  are  a  small  tribe  of  Indians  called  the  St. 
Regis  Indians,  living  on  die  river  St.  Regis,  neai' 
the  lower  part  of  the  province.  There  is  iilso  a 
small  tribe  called  the  Moraviiin  Indians,  living  in 


41 


md  theii 
ak  a  dif- 
ler  very 
and  Riv- 
rable  de  ^ 
Tlish  lan- 
il  sand  the 
lol  teach- 
preacher. 
I  English 
le  of  the 
ushels  of 
,  and  will 
m.  They 
le  British 
iltary  use 
can  mus- 
as  are  not 
lere  are  a 
g  in  other 
lile  creek 
e  bank  of 
Lake, 
rand  Riv- 
T  near  the 
middle, 
uare,  and 
1  also, 
d  the  St. 
cms,  neai' 
:  is  also  a 
,  living  in 


the  western  distri*.  t ;  they  have  the  gospel  pVeached 
to  them  b\  the  Dutch  Moravians  among  whom 
they  live :  they  are  of  the  Delaware  tribe.  On 
some  islands  near  and  in  Lake  Huron,  there  are  a 
considerable  number  of  Indians  called  the  Huron 
Indians,  and  are  great  warriors. 

Near  the  head  of  the  Ottdway  river,  there  is  a 
small  tribe  of  Indians,  called  the  Nepisingui  In- 
dians  :  they  live  on  a  lake  of  the  same  name,  and 
were  once  converted  to  the  Roman  Catholic  reli- 
gion, at  which  time  they  were  a  numerous  tribe. 
They  are  of  the  Algonquin  nation,  some  of  which 
now  reside  about  Lake  Superior. 

There  are  a  number  of  Indians  of  different  na- 
tions besides  those  that  I  have  named,  though  they 
have  but  little  intercourse  with  the  British,  except 
that  they  trade  with  them  by  the  agents,  and  make 
them  yearly  presents  of  a  great  amount. 

There  are  various  accounts  respecting  the  num- 
hcr  of  Indians  in  Canada,  some  suppose  that  there 
is  100,000,  and  out  of  these  there  may  be  raised 
30,000  warriors,  yet  I  think  this  is  not  correct ;  in- 
deed I  believe  that  the  British  government  do  not 
know  the  number  of  all  that  consider  themselves 
connected  with  it,  as  all  the  diiferent  nations  never 
meet  together  at  once.* 


*  I  am  of  opinion  that  at  present,  Sept.  1812,  which  i^ 
since  the  invasion  of  Canada,  that  the  British  have  now  in 
their  interest,  including;  the  prophet  Tecuniseh,Spnt loir,  and 
Walk-in-the-water,  with  their  people,  nearly  20,000  warriors, 
(hoiish  it  i?  not  to  be  supposed  that  more  than  lialf  of  them 
can  be  engaged  in  the  war  at  once. 

D  2 


} 


i 


•n 


42 


The  Canadian  Indians  cost  the  British  Crown 
about  3,000/.  sterling  each  year.  This  sum  is  ex- 
peaded  in  furnishing  them  with  fire  arms  and  ammu- 
jiition,  by  means  of  which  they  kill  their  game,  also 
in  blankets  and  clothes  to  cover  their  nakedness,  as 
also  bread,  meat,  and  tobacco.  These  things  are 
called  gifts,  from  the  King,  but  are  chiefly  tlie  in- 
terest  of  aioney  in  England  belonging  to  the  Six 
Nations,  for  land  sold  to  the  King.  However,  I 
am  of  opinion  thcit  those  things  which  they  get  from 
the  king's  stores  do  them  more  harm  than  good, 
as  thereby  they  are  encouraged  to  live  in  idleness, 
depending  on  those  gifts  w^hich  they  receive  twice 
a  year. 

Should  part  of  this  amount  be  given  to  them  in 
horses,  co\\'s,  sheep  and  hogs,  as  also  farming 
utensils,  and  the  rest  to  all  such  that  at  the  end  of 
eacli  year  had  raised  more  produce  than  they  need- 
ed ;  this  would  be  a  discouragement  to  idleness, 
and  a  stimulus  to  industry. 

The  most  of  the  Indians  in  the  province  of  Up- 
per  Canada  have  been  converted  from  Idolatry,  to 
the  belief  of  the  Christian  religion,  by  the  labour 
of  the  Roman  C  tholi  •  priests,  when  the  province 
belonged  to  the  French ;  but  ever  since  the  pro- 
vince has  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  British,  thcit 
has  not  been  so  much  attention  paid  to  the  religious  I 
instruction  of  the  Indians  as  formerly.  What  ire 
taught  in  the  Christian  faith  are  of  the  Protestant 
east,  yet  the  young  Indians  do  not  know  or  care| 
any  tiling  about  any  kind  of  religion. 

Notwithstanding  the  Indians  have  formerly  bccnj 


sh  Crown 
um  IS  ex- 
nd  ammu- 
gaine,  also 
edness,  as 
things  are 
efly  the  in- 
to the  Six 
lowcver,  I 
zy  get  from 
than  good, 
in  idleness, 
ceive  twice 

to  them  in 
so  farming- 
it  the  end  of 
n  they  need- 
:  to  idleness, 

/ince  of  Up- 
Idolatry,  to 
ly  the  labour 
the  province 
nee  the  pro- 
British,  thci^ 
Dthe  religious 
\  What  ire 
he  Protestant 
know  or  care 


43 


taught  by  the  catholics  in  the  principles  of  the 
Christian  faith,  and  at  present  the  protestants  preach 
among  them,  as  do  some  other  sects,  they  still  liold 
some  of  those  traditional  notions  relative  to  God 
and  the  soul,  which  are  very  curious. 

In  the  summer  they  lay  about  tK^  lakes,  and  now 
and  then  catch  sturgeon  and  eels. 

These  Indians  are  considerably  troublesome  to 
the  white  peoj)le,  especially  the  tribe  of  Massasau- 
gas,  as  they  are  wandering  through  the  country 
almost  continually,  and  begging  something  to  cat, 
and  when  they  get  drunk,  which  is  as  often  as  they 
can  get  a  chance,  they  are  quarrelsome  and  many 
times  dangerous. 

The  armour  of  the  Indians  in  time  of  war,  are 
a  rifle,  a  spear  about  18  inches  long  with  a  han- 
dle 8  feet,  a  tomahawk,  and  scalping  knife,  all  of 
which  they  use  as  instruments  of  death. 

The  Indians  in  Canada,  like  all  other  Indians, 
dress  very  indifferently,  though  they  get  much  fine 
cloth  from  the  king's  store^  which  they  only  throw 
over  their  dirty  bodies,  and  in  a  little  time  all  is  fil- 
thy together.  In  the  summer,  they  are  chiefly  na- 
ked, except  a  little  covering  around  the  waist.  The 
women  are  particularly  careful  of  their  legs  below 
their  knees,  if  all  other  parts  are  naked. 

Villages, — There  are  not  many  villages,  in  the 
province  of  Upper  Canada  of  much  note,  the  in- 
habitants finding  their  greatest  advantage  in  agri- 
culture, as  the  land  is  very  cheap  and  fertile. 


I' 


formerly  been 


at 


44 
CORNWALL, 

1^         Is  situated  about  130  miles  down  the  river  St. 
.,,     LawTence,  is  liandsome  but  not  large. 

PRESCOTT,. 


Is  70  miles  down  the  same  river,  and  stands  op- 
posite to  OgdcMisburg  on  the  United  States  side, 
it  is  small.  There  is  a  fort  and  garrison  kept 
here. 

BROCKVILLE, 


Lies  12  miles  higher  up  the  river,  and  is  hand- 
»|     somely  situated,  containing  about  60  houses. 

KINGSTON, 

Stands  a  few  miles  below  the  head  of  the  St. 
Lawrence,  opposite  to  an  Island  which  is  the  means 
of  forming  a  safe  and  commodious  harbour.  It 
contains  about  150  houses,  a  court-house,  jail,  and 
2  houses  for  public  worship.  The  fort  in  this  place 
is  temporary,  the  cannon  are  small.  It  is  a  place 
of  much  trade.  There  are  several  more  small  \  il- 
lages  on  the  banks  of  the  bay  of  Quantie,  and  are 
places  ot  some  trade,  all  of  which  increase  and 
flourish  rapidly. 

YORK, 

Is  situated  170  miles  south  west  of  Kingstoi>, 


45 


iver  St. 


ands  op- 
ites  side, 
ion  kept 


1  is  hand- 
les. 


r  tlie  St. 
he  means 
)our.  It 
,  jail,  and 
his  place 
s  a  place 
small  \  il- 
,  and  are 
ease  and 


on  the  north  shore  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  is  some- 
thing larger  than  the  former.  This  village  is  laid 
out  after  the  form  of  Philadelphia,  the  streets  cros- 
sing each  other  at  right  angles ;  though  the  ground 
on  which  it  stands  is  not  suitable  for  building. 
This  at  present  is  the  seat  of  government,  and  the 
residence  of  a  number  of  English  gendemen.  It 
contains  some  fine  buildings,  though  they  stand 
scattering,  among  which  are  a  court-house,  council- 
house,  a  large  brick  building  in  which  the  king's 
store  for  the  place  is  kept,  and  a  meeting-house  for 
Episcopalians,  1  printing,  and  other  offices.  This 
city  lies  in  north  latitude  43  degrees  and  some  mi- 
nutes. The  harbour  in  front  of  the  city  is  com- 
modious, safe  and  beautiful,  and  is  formed  after  a 
curious  manner.  About  3  miles  below,  or  cast  of 
the  city,  tliere  extends  out  from  the  main  shore,  an 
arm  or  neck  of  land  about  100  yards  wide,  nearly  in 
the  form  of  a  rainbow,  until  it  connects  with  the 
main  shore  again,  about  a  mile  above  or  west  of  the 
city,  between  it  and  w^here  the  fort  stuids.  About 
300  yards  from  the  shore,  and  as  many  from  the 
fort,  there  is  a  channel  through  this  circular  island 
merely  sufficient  for  the  passage  of  large  vessels. 
This  bason,  which  in  the  middle  is  2  miles  wide,  is 
very  deep  and  without  rocks,  or  ony  thing  of  the 
kind.  While  the  water  of  the  main  lake  which  is 
30  miles  wide  in  this  place  is  tost  as  the  waxes  of 
the  sea,  this  bason  remains  smooth.  The  fort  in 
this  place  is  not  strong,  but  the  British  began  to 
build  a  very  strong  one  in  the  year  1811. 


■4, 


■I' 


It 

V 


i.ingstoi>5 


46 


NIAGARA, 

Is  situated  nearly  opposite  York,  on  the  south 
side  of  the  lake,  at  the  point  of  land  formed  by  the 
conjunction  of  the  outlet  of  Lake  Erie  and  Ontario. 
It  is  a  beautiful  and  prospective  place,  being  sur- 
rounded on  two  sides  by  water,  the  lake  on  the 
north,  and  the  Niagara  river  on  the  east,  and  which 
affords  a  fine  harbour  for  shipping. 

Fort  George  of  this  place  stands  about  half  a  mile 
from  the  mouth  of  this  river,  near  the  bank  where 
it  is  34  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  water  ;  it  is 
nearly  square,  enclosing  a  space  of  about  150  yards 
long  and  an  100  broad.  The  pickets  are  high  and 
strong,  defended  by  a  ditch  on  the  out  side,  and 
breast  works  on  the  inside.  It  is  well  provided 
with  cannon,  ammunition,  water,  provision  and  the 
like.  This  village  is  a  place  of  much  trade,  and 
is  inhabited  by  a  civil  and  industrious  people.  It 
contains  a  council-house,  court-house,  and  jail,* 
and  2  houses  for  public  worship.  There  are  seve- 
ral squares  of  ground  in  this  village  adorned  with 
almost  every  kind  of  precious  fruit.  The  front 
part  of  the  village,  on  the  east,  looks  towards  the 
fort  over  a  beautiful  plain  of  nearly  1  mile  wide. 

QUEENSTON,t 

Is  situated  7  miles  further  up  the  Niagara  river, 
close  by  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  or  slope  of  ground 


*  On  the  13th  of  October,  1812,  these  were  burnt  by  (he 
Am":ricans  with  hot  balls  from  the  east  side,  as  also  some 
other  buildings. 

f  It  was  at  this  place  the  Americans  crossed  on  the  13th 
of  October,     River  900  yards  wide. 


47 


the  soulli 
led  bv  the 
i  Ontario, 
being  sur- 
ike  on  the 
and  which 

half  a  mile 
>ank  where 
rater  ;  it  is 
tt  150  yards 
re  high  and 
xt  side,  and 
^11  provided 
jion  and  the 

trade,  and 
people.  It 
,  and  jail,* 
ire  are  seve- 
iomed  with 
The  front 

towards  the 
lile  wide. 

iagara  river, 
pe  of  ground 

e  burnt  by  tlie 
,  as  also  sonic 

sedoathe  13th 


ah'eadv  noted  at  what  is  called  the  landing;.  It  is  a 
small,  but  handsome  village  :  the  most  of  the  hou- 
ses are  built  with  stone  or  brick,  large,  and  well 
finished.  It  is  also  a  place  of  considerable  trade, 
and  inhabited  b}  u  civil  and  rich  people* 

CHIPPEWiVY, 

Lies  10  miles  above  Queenston  and  3  above  the 
Niagara  falls :  is  a  small  village  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Chippeway  creek.  It  has  some  handsome  build- 
ings, and  is  a  place  of  considerable  trade. 

FORT  ERIE. 

There  is  a  small  village  at  this  place  of  some 
beauty,  the  inhabitants  of  which  carry  on  a  con- 
siderable trade  from  the  Lake. 

TURKEY.POINT, 

Is  situated  about  60  miles  south-west  of  Fort 
Erie,  on  the  lake  shore  in  the  district  of  London, 
a  little  east  of  Long  Point.  It  stands  in  a  beautiful 
place  adjoining  an  excellent  country  of  land,  and 
has  a  handsome  court  house  and  jail. 

PORT.TALBERT, 

Lies  64  miles  farther  to  the  south  west  on  the 
lake  shore.  It  has  been  laid  out  about  3  years,  and 
bids  fair  for  a  considerable  village.  It  has  a  fine 
harbour  for  shipping. 


!■ 


r 


% 


t  n 


48 

MALDEN. 

This  fort  and  village  is  situate  at  the  south  west 
end  or  head  of  Lake  Erie,  14  miles  south  of  De- 
troit. It  is  a  pleasant  place  though  not  large.  The 
fort  here  is  strong. 

SANDWICH, 

Is  situated  still  up  the  river,  opposite  Detroit, 
and  is  a  handsome  village  of  considerable  age,  in- 
habited  princi]:)aily  by  French,  ^ho  settled  this 
country  10;i  years  ago. 

lliere  are  several  other  villages  in  the  province 
not  immediately  on  the  water,  which  "sc  of  conside- 
rable size  and  beauty  j  but  those  already  named  are 
the  prircipal. 

Settlements, — In  the  lower  part  of  this  province, 
the  settlements  do  not  extend  back  or  north  from 
the  river  St.  Lawrence.  Above  Kingston,  the 
settlements  extend  from  Lake  Ontario,  (counting 
the  peninsula  between  the  lake  and  the  Bay  Quantie, 
which  in  some  places  is  10,  and  in  others  30  miles 
wide)  50  miles.  Above  the  head  of  the  bay,  on 
the  lake  shore,  for  about  100  miles,  the  settlements 
do  not  extend  more  than  6  miles  from  the  lake. 
North  from  York,  the  settlements  extend  farther 
back,  particularly  on  what  is  called  Yonge- Street, 
which  runs  a  due  north  course  to  Lake  Simcoe. 
On  both  sides  of  this  street,  the  farms  are  thick  and 
well  improved,  the  soil  being  very  good,  although 
the  climate  is  not  so  favourable  as  it  is  farther  to  the 


49 


Duth  west 
th  of  Dc 
irge.  The 


te  Detroit, 
leage,  in- 
ettled  this 

tC  province 

of  conside- 

natned  arc 

,  province, 
nordi  from 
gston,  the 
(countini^ 
y  Quantie, 
•s  30  miles 
he  bay,  on 
settlements 
the  lake.' 
end  farther 
>nge-Street, 
ke  Simcoe. 
re  thick  and 
d,  although 
irther  to  the 


n 


soudiwest.  From  York,  west,  along  the  lake 
shore,  there  are  but  small  settlements  on  the  shore 
for  20  miles  ;  after  which,  what  is  called  Dundas- 
street,  4  miles  from  the  shore,  is  thickly  settled  on 
both  sides  for  twenty  miles ;  as  also  between  thii^ 
and  the  lake  it  is  thinly  inhabited,  although  this  has 
not  been  settled  more  than  6  years  from  the  present 
date  (1812.)  Above  10  or  15  miles,  at  the  head 
of  Burlington  bay,  is  what  is  called  Goot's  Para- 
dise. It  is  fine,  rich,  sandy  plains,  thickly  settled 
7  miles  from  the  shore,  to  the  foot  of  the  slope  al- 
ready named  ;  and  on  the  top,  west  and  north-west 
for  15  miles,  there  are  fine  settlements  in  two  town- 
ships— East  and  West  Flambeau.  Farther  south 
around  the  head  of  Lake  Ontario,  or  more  particu- 
larly Burlington  bay,  the  settlements  are  thick,  ex- 
tending west  16  miles.  About  40  miles  up  the 
Grand  River  is  a  thick  settlement  of  Dutch,  in  Brant's 
township.  Still  to  the  east,  as  the  road  leads  to 
Niagara,  the  settlements  are  thick  near  the  shore  of 
Lake  Ontario.  After  one  gets  30  miles  east  of  the 
head  of  Burlington  bay,  and  20  from  Niagara,  the 
settlements  of  an  old  date  are  made,  and  pretty  thick, 
all  the  wav  across  from  lake  to  lake,  which  is  more 
than  thirty  miles.  From  the  thick  setdement  west 
of  the  head  of  lake  Ontario,  towards  tlie  London 
district,  the  inhabitants  are  thin  for  20  miles,  through 
the  tract  of  land  belonging  to  the  six  nations  of  In- 
dians. The  setUements  in  the  London  district 
have  already  been  described.  The  settlements  in 
the  west  end  of  the  province  are  chiefly  on  the 
St.  Lawrence,  on  its  course  through  Huron  and  St. 


\: 


CI 


\ir. 


E 


m 

':.<:,  M,^- 


It 


50 


Civil  Division* — The  province  of  Upper  Caiuida 
is  divided  into  8  districts,  24  counties,  and  156  town- 
ships, generally  about  12  miles  square.  These 
townships  are  surveyed  into  concisions,  the  w  idth 
of  the  township  in  front  towards  tlie  lake,  and 
one  mile  and  a  quarter  wide,  back  from  the  lake 
to  the  north,  but  in  some  places  they  are  not  more 
than  three  quarters  of  a  mile  wide.  Each  tow  n- 
ship  is  divided  into  14  concisions,  the  whole  of 
which  make  2184.  These  concisions  are  'abdi- 
vided  into  twenty  four  lots  of  200  acres  each  the 
whole  of  which  amounts  to  32,416,  which  number 
multiplied  by  200,  will  produce  10,483,200,  the 
number  of  acres  surveyed  in  the  province,  besides 
considerable,  called  broken  fronts,  not  yet  survey- 
ed, granted  to  those  who  owned  land  in  the  rear 
thereof.  It  may  not  be  amiss  to  remark  here, 
that  in  every  direction  from  the  lands  now  surveyed 
there  are  great  quantities  of  wild  oi  unsurveyed 
land,  which  is  equally  as  good  as  that  now  im- 
proved. Between  ever}^  concision  there  ai'C  four 
roods  left  for  the  public  road,  and  also  between 
every  fourth  lot,  which  is  one  quarter  of  a  mile 
w4dc. 

Districts, — Of  these  there  are  8,  as  already  not- 
ed. The  Eastern  District  is  situated  at  the  north- 
east end  of  the  province,  joining  the  St.  Law- 
rence and  Ottaways  river.  It  is  in  the  cold- 
est and  most  unpleasant  part  of  the  province, 
the  land  being  sandy,  cold,  and  stony,  in  gene- 
ral producing  peas,  potatoes,  oats,  and  some  wheat. 
The  most  of  the  inhabitants  are  Scotch  and 
Frencli. 


51 


i,' 


r  Canada 
L56town- 
These 
the  width 
ake,    and 
1  the  lake 
not  more 
ich  town- 
i  whole  of 
are  *-abdi- 
5  eaci.  the 
:h  nuniber 
3,200,  the 
ce,  besides 
y-et  survey- 
in  the  rear 
ifiark  here, 
\v  surveyed 
Luisurveyed 
It  now  im- 
re  are  four 
so  bet\veen 
of  a  mile 

already  not- 
It  the  north- 
St.  Law- 
the  cold- 
le  province, 
y,  in  gene- 
some  wheat. 
Scotch    and 


e 
n 


The  District  of  JoJmstown  lies  up  farther  on 
the  river  St.  Lawrence,  and  will  bear  nearly  the 
same  description  as  the  other,  but  is  something 
better. 

The  Midland  District  lies  from  a  little  below 
Kingston  up  \vest  to  the  head  of  Bay  Quantie, 
comprehending  that  beautiful  peninsula  between 
the  Bay  and  the  Lake.  This  district  is  large, 
and  thick  settled  with  rich  farmers.  The  land  is 
very  fertile,  producing  wheat  in  abundance,  al- 
so apples  and  other  summer  fruit.  The  bay 
and  the  several  rivers  that  run  into  it  afford  plen- 
ty of  fish. 

Newcastle  District^  extends  from  the  head  of  the 
Bay  Quantie,  50  miles  to  the  southwest,  along  the 
shore  of  the  lake,  and  is  divided  into  two  counties, 
Northumberland  and  Durham.  This  district  is 
well  watered,  rich,  though  a  little  hilly,  and  more 
stony  than  any  other. 

Home  District^  is  still  farther  up  the  lake,  and  is 
divided  into  two  counties,  York  and  Simcoe.  It  is 
large  and  tolerably  thick  settled ;  it  has  an  abundance 
of  white  pine  upon  it,  and  a  number  of  beautiful 
streams  of  water. 

Niagara  District^  is  situated  south  of  Home  and 
the  lake,  in  the  peninsula  between  the  two  lakes. 
It  is  very  large,  and  divided  into  two  counties,  Lin- 
coln and  Haldeman.  The  latter  is  on  the  Grand 
River,  in  possession  of  the  Six  Nations  of  Indians, 
already  named. 

The  county  of  Lincoln  lies  in  the  east  part  of  the 
peninsula,  joining  on  the  out  let  of  lake  Erie,  and  is 
divided  into  25  townships,  all  which  are  tolerably 


Ir 


52 


: 


thick  settled,  and  well  improved,  though  not  so  well 
watered  as  oth(er  districts. 

London  District  has  been  already  described. 

JVestern  District  is  situated  at  the  west  end  of 
the  province,  joining  the  river  St.  Lawrence  as  it 
comes  from  Lake  Superior  to  the  head  of  Lake 
Erie  ;  it  is  large  and  rich,  and  some  part  toler- 
able  well  improved  :  it  affords  fine  plains,  and 
has  been  settled  by  the  French  more  than  100 
years.  It  is  divided  into  two  counties,  Essex  and 
Kent. 

Xing'* s  Roads, — When  the  upper  province  was 
first  settled,  the  people  laboured  under  considtrable- 
disadvantages  for  the  want  of  roads  :  nor  could  it 
be  expected  that  the  inhabitants  could  open  any  of 
great  extent,  as  the  timber  in  most  places  is  heavy, 
and  they  had  as  much  as  they  could  do  to  clear 
land  to  raise  enough  produce  to  support  their  fa- 
milies. Yet  the  opening  of  roads  was  necessarv, 
and  the  king  knew  this  could  not  be  effected  by  the 
people  without  his  assistance.  He  therefore  gave 
large  sums  of  money  to  be  laid  out  for  that  purpose 
and  for  a  number  of  years  past,  nearly  the  whole 
amount  of  the  revenues  of  the  province  which  is 
the  king's  money,  amounting  to  5,000  pounds, 
has  been  laid  out  in  opening  and  repairing  of  the 
public  highways.  This  with  the  statute  labour 
which  the  inhabitants  of  every  township  perform,  is 
the  means  of  making  tolerable  good  roads  in  al- 
most every  part  of  the  province.  Tliere  is  no  toll 
taken  for  passing  on  any  road  or  bridge  in  the  pro- 
vince. 

What  is  called  the  king's  roads  or  highways  are 


)t  so  well 

bed. 

st  end  of 
lice  as  it 
of  Lake 
art  toler- 
Lins,  and 
than  100 
Lissex  and 

vince  was 
[isidtrable- 
r  could  it 
en  any  of 
is  heavy, 
o  to  clear 
t  their  fa- 
lecessarv, 
ted  by  the 
ifore  gave 
at  purpose 
the  whole 
which  is 
pounds, 
ng  of  the 
te   labour 
icrform,  is 
ids  in  al- 
is  no  toll 
n  the  pro- 

•hways  arc 


) 


53 


4  roods  wide,  and  lead  in  the  directions  now  to  be  de- 
scribed ;  there  is  one  road  that  leads  from  Monti'eal, 
which  is  in  tlie  lower  province,  up  the  river  St. 
Lawrence,  near  the  bank  on  the  north  side,  through 
Cornwall  village  to  Prescot,  so  on  to  Brockville 
and  Kingston  ;  from  hence  there  are  several  roads 
which  lead  different  v/ays,  though  they  are  opened 
by  the  inhabitants,  except  one  which  is  the  king's 
and  extends  up  towards  the  southwest  about  twenty 
miles,  when  it  divides  into  tw  o.  One  crosses  the 
Bay  Quantie,  and  extends  nearly  through  the  mid- 
dle of  the  peninsula  to  the  head.  *  The  other  turns 
to  the  right,  and  extends  up  the  bay  on  the  north 
side,  through  the  Mohawk's  or  Indian  land,  crosses 
M}  er's  creek  and  the  river  Trent,  where  it  empties 
into  the  bay  Quantie,  extends  a  few  miles  to  the 
south,  and  joins  with  the  other  on  the  carrying  place. 
From  hence  it  leads  on  through  woodland  (thinly 
settled)  by  Presqu'isle  harbour,  for  about  fifteen 
miles,  when  the  countr}'  appears  more  improved, 
and  the  road  tolerably  good.  Within  about  sixty 
miles  of  York,  the  road  is  bad,  as  the  ground  is 
very  rich  and  soft,  and  but  thinly  settled  ;  and 
about  46  miles  from  York,  there  are  two  roads — 
one  extends  along  the  lake  shore,  and  is  the  best — 
the  other  leads  about  8  miles  to  the  north  ;  but 
they  meet  again  at  w  hat  is  called  Lion's  creek  and 
Tavern.  For  nearly  thirty  miles  to  York,  there  is 
but  one  road  (and  that  (juite  Irad)  till  within  9  miles 
of  the  city.  From  York  there  is  one  road  v  hich 
extends  40  miles  a  due  north  course,  to  lake  Sim- 

*  This  is  the  best  road. 

E  2     -•  -^      • 


54 


i'h 


I' 


coe.  This  road  in  most  places,  is  tolerably  good. 
The  other  road  extends  up  the  lake  shore  16 
miles  to  the  river  Credit,  where  it  leaves  the  shore 
a  little  to  the  north,  and  extends  to  the  head  of  the 
lake  ;  this  road  is  not  very  good.  Two  miles  from 
York,  on  the  road  which  leads  to  Simcoe,  called 
Younge's  street,  another  road  leads  out,  extending 
to  the  head  of  the  lake  called  Dundas  street,  which 
is  completely  straight  for  260  miles  to  the  river 
Thames,  near  Detroit.  Although  it  is  not  pas- 
sable in  all  places,  yet  where  it  is  not  opened, 
there  are  other  roads  near  by,  which  lead  the  same 
way,  and  enter  it  again.  Where  it  crosses  the 
Grand  River,  over  which  there  is  a  good  bridge,* 
three  miles  above  the  Mohawk  village  of  Indians, 
there  is  another  road  turns  to  the  south,  through 
beautiful,  sandy  and  diy  plains,  to  Turkey  Point, 
near  Long  Point,  in  lake  Erie,  which  is  thirty-five 
miles.  This  road  extends  up  the  lake  shore  to 
Port  Talbert,  althougii  it  is  not  passable  the  whole 
wav.  From  Fort  Erie,  two  miles  below  the  ferrv 
at  Black  rock,  there  extends  a  road  up  the  shore  of 
Lake  Erie,  more  than  tweiity  miles,  and  another 
<'ighteen  miles  down  to  the  Niagara  falls,  here  it  di- 
vides :  one  extends  to  the  west  through  the  Bea- 
ver dams  towards  the  head  of  Ontario,  up  the 
stream  of  the  twenty  mile  creek  to  a  little  village 
called  Aswago,  and  on  the  main  road  from  Nia- 
gara to  Grand  River.  This  is  a  tolerable  good 
road.  .        . 

From  the  falls  another  extends  down  the  Nia- 
gara river  by  Queenston   to  fort   George  :  from 

*  TbiB  bridge  is  not  quite  finiehed. 


55 


1^, 


bly  good, 
shore    16 
the  shore 
lead  of  the 
niles  from 
:oe,  called 
extending 
set,  which 
I  the  river 
3  not  pas- 
3t  opened, 
:1  the  same 
grosses  the 
1  bridge,* 
of  Indians, 
h,  through 
key  Point, 
thirty-five 
shore  to 
the  \\  hole 
w  the  ferry 
he  shore  of 
uid  another 
here  it  di- 
1  the  Bea- 
io,  up  the 
little  village 
1  from  Nia- 
^rable  good 

i^n  the  Nia- 
jrge  :  from 

I 


e 


^l 


hence  there  is  a  good  road  up  and  near  the  lake 
shore  for  forty-five  miles,  when  it  turns  to  the  south 
over  the  mountain,  and  connects  with  the  one  just 
noticed.  Forty  miles  from  Niagara,  at  what  is 
called  the  Fifty  Mile  creek,  one  road  turns  to  the 
right  and  crosses  the  beach  already  mentioned 
between  the  lake  and  Burlington  bay,  towards 
York.  There  is  also  a  road  that  extends  from 
Queenston  to\\'ards  the  head  of  the  Lake  through 
what  is  called  the  Black  Swamp,  and  joins  with 
the  one  from  Niagara,  about  ten  miles  from  it 
a  little  short  of  the  Twelve  Mile  creek  at  Ship- 
man's  tavern. 

These  are  all  the  king's  roads  or  public  high- 
ways :  yet  there  are  many  more  roads  through- 
out all  the  province,  which  lead  in  every  direc- 
'  '^n  and  many  of  them  are  very  good  and  con- 
A.:'  icnt. 

Bearings  and  Distances  of  Places. — From  Mon- 
treal to  Prescott,  (100  miles)  the  river  has  a  strong 
current,  and  some  dangerous  rapids.  It  cannot  be 
passed  with  ships,  though  large  rafts  and  boats  of 
considerable  burthen  pass  it  in  safety. 

The  village  and  fort  of  Prescott  are  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  opposite  to  the  river  ()s- 
^\  egatchie,  or  the  old  garrison  at  Ogdensburg.  The 
St.  Lawrence  is  2  miles  wide  here,  and  has  a  small 
current.  Sixty-five  miles  further  up  the  river,  stands 
Kingston,  near  the  bottom  of  Lake  Ontario  near- 
ly opposite,  (though  a  little  to  the  east)  of  Sackett's 
Harbour.  The  distance  from  one  to  another,  on 
a  straight  line,  is  27  miles ;  though  the  nearest 
way  that  can  be  passed  b\  land  on  the  road,  (and  a 
bad  one)  ib  34  miles,  and  tliirty-six  by  water  or  ice 


m 


t 


'I 


56 


Seventy-five  miles  from  Kingston  is  situated 
Presqu'isie  harbour,  already  noted.  It  is  nearly 
opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Oswego  river  on  the 
United  States'  side.  The  Lake  is  sixty- seven 
miies  wide  here,  but  has  been  crossed  in  seven 
huuis. 

One  hundred  miles  from  this  harbour,  up  the 
lake  stands  York,  nearly  opposite  Niagara,  though 
a  little  to  the  north-west,  on  a  straight  line.  The 
distance  from  one  to  the  other  is  thirty-four  miles  ; 
but  by  land  around  the  htad  of  Lake  Ontario,  it  is 
ninety  miles.  Niagara,  sometimes  called  Newark, 
is  opjx)site  Niagara  ibrt,  on  the  United  States'  side. 
The  river  is  twelve  hundred  yards  wide  here. 

Queenston — Stands  seven  miies  farther  up  the 
river  on  the  same  side,  close  to  the  foot  of  the 
mountain  already  noted,  and  opposite  to  Lewis- 
town,  on  the  United  States'  side ;  from  which  there 
is     good  read  to  Batavia,  an  east  course. 

Cfiipptrway — A  small  village  at  the  mouth  of  a 
stream  of  tiie  same  name,  is  two  miles  above  the 
fails  tind  10  from  Queenston. 

Erie — Stands  opposite  to  Black  Rock,  on  the 
United  States'  side.  Here  the  river  is  seventeen 
hundred  yards  wide. 

From  this  place  up  the  shore  of  Lake  Erie  for  80 
miles  there  are  no  villages  or  forts,  as  the  country  is 
but  little  improved,  especially  about  the  middle  of 
the  above  distance,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Grand  Ri- 
ver, which  is  in  the  possession  of  the  Indians,  as  al- 
ready noted,  '  ,:;     .;JL      .  ;       . 

About  50  miles  of  this  distance,  on  the  lake  shore, 
there  is  no  road:  tliough  in  the  year  1811,  com- 
nussioners  were  appouiLed  to  lay  out  one. 


57 


situated 
i&  nearly 
r  on  the 
Lty-sevcn 
in  seven 


r,  up  the 


I,  though 
le.  The 
jr  miles  ; 
ario,  It  is 
Newark, 
ites'  side, 
lere. 

:r  up  the 
ot  of  the 
0  Lewis- 
lich  there 


Turkey-Point — Near  Long  Point,  is  one  hun- 
dred miles  from  Fort  George,  and  nearly  200  be- 
low Maiden.  It  is  opposite  Presqu'isle,  and  Erie, 
on  the  United  States'  side,  at  the  corner  of  the 
three  states,  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  and  Ohio. 

Maiden — Is  near  the  head  of  Lake  Erie,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  as  it  comes  from 
Lake  Superior. 

Sandwich — Stands  14  miles  up  the  river,  oppo- 
site to  Detroit,  where  it  is  900  yards  wide.  From 
Sandwich  to  the  beginning  of  lake  St.  Clair  it  is 
12  miles  ;  and  40  more  through  that  lake  ;  it  is 
40  more  to  Lake  Huron,  which  is  40  wide,  and 
fiftv  more  to  the  falls  of  St.  Marv,  which  is  rather 
a  rapid,  descending  gradually  30  feet  in  one  mile, 
and  admits  vessels  of  considerable  size. 

From  this,  fall  it  is  twenty  miles  to  lake  Supe- 
rior.* 


outh  of  a 
bove  the 

on  the 
ieventeen 

rie  for  80 
ountry  is 
niddle  of 
rand  Ri- 
ans,  as  al- 

ike  shore, 
11,  com- 


*  The  distance  from  this  Lake,  to  Quebec  on  the  water 
course  is  nearly  1200  miles;  but  on  a  straight  line  it  would 
not  be  more  than  360  miles. — Note  the  following  calculation. 

Lake  Superior,  according  to  the  French  charts  is  1500 
miles  in  circumference. 

Quebec  is  in  lat.  46°  55'  north, 
long.  70°  31'  west. 

The  lake  is  between  45°  and  48°  north  lat. 


And  between 


82V 
say  82* 
70° 


31' 
31' 


91°  west  long. 


12 


A  degree  of  longitude  in  45  or  46  is  about  30'  consequent- 
ly the  distance  from  Quebec  to  the  margin  of  Lake  »Superioc 
must  be  360  miles. 


jr  H 


58 


A  SHORT  DESCRIPTION  OF 


LOWER  CANADA. 


«  1 


(ft 


Perhaps  it  will  not  be  amiss,  in  the  third  edition 
of  this  book,  to  give  some  account  of  the  province 
of  Lower  Canada  ;  as  the  public  is  expecting  that 
the  operations  of  this  unhappy  war  will  soon  be  car- 
ried  there. 

Situation  and  Extent, — This  province  lays  on 
both  sides  of  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  between  45 
and  53  degrees  north  latitude,  and  61  and  73  degrees, 
west  longitude  from  London, 

It  is  about  nine  hundred  miles,  long  and  five  hun- 
dred broad. 

It  is  bounded  north,  by  New  Britain,  in  latitude 
53^,  and  south  by  the  District  of  Maine,  New  Hamp- 
shire, Vermont,  and  about  75  miles  of  the  state  oi' 
New  York,  viz.  from  Lake  Champlain,  to  the  St. 
Regis  river,  near  where  it  empties  into  the  St.  Law- 
i*ence. 

Soil  and  Surface. — This  province  is  not  so  le- 
vel as  Upper  Canada,  having  some  tolerable  high 
mountains,  and  many  hills,  and  is  considerably 
stony. 

The  soil  is  mostly  of  a  hard,  bluish  clay,  inter- 
mixed with  sand,  and  quite  poor,  with  small  tim- 
ber, except  near  tlie  rivers,  where  it  is  tolerably  rich, 
but  heavy  timbered,  with  evergreens  ;  such  as  hem- 
lock,  and  firs,  with  some  beach  and  birch  :  som( 


•  i 


59 


I 


ircl  edition 
s  province 
acting  that 
►on  be  car- 

ce  lays  on 
letvveen  45 
13  degrees, 

d  five  hun- 

in  latitude 
ew  Hamp- 
he  state  of 
to  the  St. 
e  St.  Lavv- 

not  so  Ic- 

rable  high 

3nsiderably 

clay,  inter- 
small  tim- 

erably  rich, 
ch  as  hem- 

rch :  som( 


of  these  evergreens,  especially  the  birch,  are  loaded 
with  an  abundance  of  moss,  which  has  a  romantic 
appearance ;  but  affords  fine  shelter  for  the  wild 
beasts  and  fowls,  in  the  winter  season. 

Here  the  traveller  may  see  large  spots  of  ground, 
covered  with  dry  leaves,  while  the  snow  is  5  feet 
deep,  on  the  surrounding  parts. 

Climate. — The  climate  in  this  province,  is  not  fa- 
vourable. The  snow  is  very  deep,  and  falls  nearly 
every  other  day.  Some  writers  relate,  that  the  mer- 
curv  in  the  t^  rmometer  has  been  known  to  freeze 
at  Quebc-.,  ar    rose  ninety  dc^iees  in  the  summer. 

The  winter  begins  with  severity,  the  1st  of  No- 
vember, and  continues  till  the  last  of  April ;  when 
it  breaks  up  of  a  sudden,  and  vegetation  grows 
with  great  rapidity. 

Although  the  climate  is  so  cold,  yet  the  inhabi- 
tants are  very  healthy,  and  unconmionly  strong.  I 
have  seen  men,  bom  in  this  province,  and  still  far- 
ther north,  at  seventy  years  of  age  lift  more  than  any 
one  amongst  twenty  men  that  were  born  in  the  Unit- 
ed States  :  they  live  to  a  great  age.  Both  men  and 
women  in  the  winter,  cover  themselves  entirely  with 
fur. 

Agriculture, — Wheat,  oats,  and  peas,  are  culti- 
vated in  this  province,  to  considerable  advantage:  but 
grass  and  potatoes,  thrive  the  best,  hemp,  and  flax, 
do  well  also ;  apples  come  to  tolerable  perfection  ; 
though  peaches,  cherries,  or  pears,  cannot  be  raisca 
here. 

Cities  and  Filiates, — Quebec  is  the  capital  of  the 
province,  and  stands  on  the  north  bank  of  the  St. 
Lawrence,  in  north  latitude  46  decrees,  and  45 


60 


minutes.  -'^  This  city  is  divided  into  two  parts,  one 
part  and  much  the  largest,  stands  en  a  high  limestone 
rock  of  difficult  ascent,  it  is  surrounded  by  a  strong 
wall.  It  is  said  5,000  soldiers  are  necessary  to  man 
the  works  in  the  fort.  It  contains  20,000  inhabi- 
tants  exclusive  of  tlie  garrison. 

Trois  Riviers — Stands  50  miles  from  Quebec, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Maurice ;  it  is  small. 

Sorel — Stands  still  farther  up,  at  tlie  mouth  of 
Sorel  river,  or  outlet  of  Lake  Champlain,  and  is 
small  also. 

Montreal — Is  170  miles  above  Quebec,  and  is 
nearly  as  large.     It  is  walled  also. 

Rivers, — There  are  an  abundance  of  rivers  in 
this  province.  The  river  Maurice  is  large,  it  emp- 
ties in  the  St.  Lawrence  from  the  north,  50  miles 
above  Quebec. 

The  Ottaways  is  very  large  and  long.  It  dis- 
charges  at  Montreal. 

The  Sorel  and  others  are  line  streams  abounding 
with  fish. 

Religion, — A  greater  majority  of  the  people  in 
this  province  are  professors  of  religion,  than  in  the 
upper,  yet  there  are  not  so  many  pious.  The  Ro- 
man Catholics  are  the  most  numerous,  and  are  scat- 
tered all  over  the  province.  In  Quebec  there  are 
three  congregations  of  Episcopalians,  and  two  of 
Presbyterians.  In  Montreal  there  are  two  Presby- 
terians, two  Episcopalians,  and  1  Methodist.  There 
are  some  Baptist  and  other  sectarians  in  the  province. 


« ♦ ' 


*  This  city  stands  60  miles  from  any  part  of  the  United 
States,  250  from  Plattsburg,  420  from  Albany,  and  730  from 
Halifax, 


51 


)  parts,  one 
b  limestone 
)y  a  strong- 
ary  to  man 
}00  inhabi- 

I 
n  Quebec, 
small, 
e  mouth  of 
in,  and  is 

bee,  and  is 

>f  rivers  in 
rge,  it  emp- 
,  50  miles 

g.     It  dis- 

abounding 

I  people  in 
than  in  the 
The  Ro- 
nd  are  scat- 
c  there  are 
and  two  of 
wo  Presby- 
iist.  There 
le  province. 

of  the  United 
and  730  from 


Population, — In  the  year  1811,  the  number 
of  inhabitants  in  both  provinces,  was  360,000. 
In  the  upper  province,  there  were  136,000,  not 
including  Indians  in  the  settled  parts  of  the  pro- 
vince.* .  ', 

The  number  of  the  militia,  or  of  those  who 
are  liable  to  do  duty,  from  the  age  of  16  to  60, 
are  22,660,  including  Indians  on  the  bounds  of 
the  province  at  that  time. 

Learning, — The  greater  part  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Canada  are  not  well  educated,  for  as 
they  were  poor  v^hen  they  came  to  the  province, 
and  the  country  being  but  thinly  settled  for  a 
number  of  years,  they  had  but  little  chance  for 
the  benefit  of  schools.  But  since  the  country 
has  become  more  settled,  and  the  inhgibitants 
rich,  or  in  a  good  way  of  living,  which  is  almost 
universally  the  case,  they  pay  considerable  at^ 
tention  to  learning. 

Ten  dollars  a  year  is  the  common  price  given 
for  the  tuition  of  each  scholar  by  good  teachers. 

Until  lately,  there  was  no  Latin  or  Greek 
school  kept  in  the  province.  Now  there  are 
three — one  in  York,  taught  by  the  Episcopal 
minister  of  that  place — one  on  the  Bay  Quan- 
tie  by  a  Mr.  Bid  well,  from  the  United  States 
-r-and  the  other  in  Niagara  village,  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Burns.    Good  encouragement  would  be  given 

*  If  all  the  inhabitants  of  Upper  Canada  were  divided 
into  10  parts,  6  parts  would  be  natives  of  the  United 
States  and  their  children  born  in  tlie  British  dominionl^ 
in  North  America;  the  other  four  parts  would  be  Eu- 
ropeans and  their  children. 

F 


!,  ■ 


r^ 


4!r 


if. 


;  -v 


62 

in  many  other  parts  to  te^  ".hers  of  such  schools, 
particularly  in  the  Niagar.  a  ^d  London  dis- 
tricts. 

Notwithstanding  I  said  that  the  main  body 
of  the  inhabitants  were  not  well  educated,  yet 
there  are  a  number  of  gentlemen  in  the  province 
who  have  the  best  of  learning. 

There  is  a  public  free  school  kept  in  every 
district,  by  order  of  the  king,  the  teachers  of 
which  receive  annually  100  pounds  sterling 
from  the  crown. 

Morals, — It  is  an  idea  entertained  by  the 
-generality  of  the  people  of  the  United  States, 
that  the  inhabitants  of  Canada  are  some  of  the 
worst  people  in  the  world,  made  up  of  rogues, 
murderers,  and  the  like  mean  characters.  How- 
ever, the  idea  is  entirely  false.  That  there  has 
some  bad  characters  escaped  from  different  parts 
of  the  United  States  to  Canada,  no  one  will 
-deny;  but  these  cannot  be  called  the  inhabi- 
tants, but  only  sojourners.  But  I  may  say, 
\vhether  I  am  believed  or  not,  that  the  main 
body  of  the  people  of  Canada  are  peaceable, 
just,  and  generous  in  all  their  intercourse  with 
each  other,  and  strangers  also;  they  are  bene- 
volent,  being  once  poor  themselves,  they  know 
how  to  feel  for  human  want  and  human  wo.  I 
have  been  acquainted  with  some  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  almost  every  neighbourhood,  and  have 
found  them  to  be  nearly  all  alike,  except  those 
from  England  or  Ireland.  I  have  also  attend- 
ed a  number  of  the  courts  of  justice,  and  was 
surprisjjd  to  see  so  little  business  done  at  them. 


V 


h  schools, 
ndon  dis- 

lain  body 
cated,  yet 
2  province 

:  in  every 
eachers  of 
is  sterling 

ed  by  the 
ed  States, 
Dme  of  the 
of  rogues, 
ers.  How- 
there  has 
erent  parts 
one  will 
he  inhabi- 
may   say, 
the  main 
peaceable, 
ourse  with 
are  bene- 
they  know 
nan  wo.  1 
the  inhabi- 
,  and  have 
cept  those 
so  attend- 
e,  and  was 
e  at  them. 


63 

The  most  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  western  oi 
upper  part  of  the  province  are  from  the  states 
of  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and  New  York, 
and  yet  retain  a  considerable  degree  of  that  rec- 
titude of  conduct  and  conversation  observed 
among  the  Quakers  and  Presbyterians  in  those 
states.  There  is  hardly  ever  an  instance  of  a 
person  stealing  in  this  province,  noi  perhaps  be- 
cause all  the  inhabitants  are  too  good,  but  partly 
from  this  cause,  and  partly  because  the  penalty 
annexed  to  the  crime  is  death;  however,  no 
one  has  been  put  to  death  in  the  province  yet. 

Religion, — About  one  half  of  the  people  of 
Canada  that  have  come  to  the  age  of  maturity, 
are  professors  of  religion:  however,  as  in  all 
other  places  they  are  of  different  sentiments 
and  sectaries.  The  Methodists  are  the  most  nu- 
merous, and  are  scattered  'ill  over  the  province. 
The  other  sectaries  are  more  local,  and  arc  as  fol- 
lows: there  are  15  churches  of  baptists,  about 
1000  in  number,  and  11  preachers;  1  cluirch  in 
Bastard  township.  1  in  i'hurlow,  1  in  biuney, 
1  in  Percy,  1  in  Hallowell,  1  in  Sufiasburgh, 
(these  5  last  are  on  the  Bay  Quantie),  1  in 
Cramahe,  1  in  Hildamin,  I  in  Whitby,  1  in 
Markham,  1  in  Townscnd,  1  in  Oxibrd,  1  in 
Cliarlotteville,  1  in  Clinton,  and  1  in  Niagara. 
There  are  6  Ministers  and  Congregations  of 
Episcopalians:  1  at  Cornwall,  1  at  Kingston, 
1  at  York,  1  at  Niagara,  1  at  Turkey  Point,  1 
at    Sandwich.^    There   arc    10    congregations 

*  There  is  also  another  congregation  and  Minister  on 
Yonge-street  lately  hccome  such:  a  Mr.  Joseph  Lock- 
wood,  once  a  Methodibt,  is  their  Minister. 


ki   I, 


y 


i 


t 

■.,.'1' 

i 


3    '^ 


i 


J 


m 


I 


!  II 


64 

of  Presbyterians,  and  7  Ministers,  One  in  Lon- 
don district  (Tovvnsend)  a  JVIr.  Colver,  Minis- 
ter, a  very  old  gentleman;  1  in  Ancaster,  near 
the  head  of  Ontario,  a  Mr.  Williams,  Minister; 
1  on  the  twenty  mile  creek,  20  miles  from  Ni- 
agara, a  Mr.  Eastman,  Minister;  1  in  Niagara 
village,  a  Mr.  Burns,  Minister;  1  in  York,  no 
Minister;  1  on  the  Bay  Quantie,  1  in  Kings- 
ton, *^nd  3  below.  There  are  5  congregations 
of  Quakers  or  friends:  1  in  Adolphustown,  30 
miles  west  of  Kingston  on  the  Bay  Quantie,  1 
in  Roxbridge,  30  miles  north  east  of  York,  on 
a  new  township,  1  on  Yonge- street  near  Lake 
Simcoe,  1  in  the  township  of  Norwich,  on  the 
river  Thames,  and  1  at  the  short  hills,  not 
far  from  Lake  Erie,  30  miles  south  west  of 
Niagara.  There  is  also  a  considerable  num* 
ber  of  tJae  Dutcli  Moneasts  in  the  province;  a 
large  settlement  of  them  reside  in  Clinton  town- 
ship, not  far  from  Niagara,  as  also  another  in 
Markham,  near  York,  and  on  Yonge-street, 
and  some  other  parts.  There  is  also  some  Tun- 
kers  in  the  province,  and  a  few  Roman  Catho- 
lics. They  have  a  chapel  in  Cornwall,  and  in 
Kingston  and  Sandwich.  There  is  also  some 
other  sectaries  in  the  province,  all  of  which  en- 
joy full  liberty  of  conscience  to  worship  God 
as  they  please,  and  are  protected  by  law  from 
penalties,  impositions,  or  burthens  of  any  kind 
relative  to  religious  concerns.  The  Episcopal 
clergy  are  paid  by  the  king.  "  The  one  se- 
venth part  of  all  the  land  in  Upper  Canada  is 
appropriated,  according  to  the  constitution,  for 


¥ 


e  in  Lon- 
r,  Minis- 
ster,  near 
Minister; 
from  Ni- 
1  Niagara 
York,  no 
In  Kings- 
^re  gal  ions 
btown,  30 
Juantie,  1 
York,  on 
near  Lake 
:h,  on  the 
hills,  not 
:h  west  of 
ble   num- 
rovince;  a 
iton  town- 
another  in 
iige-street, 
ome  Tun- 
an  Catho- 
lU,  and  in 
also  some 
which  en- 
•ship  God 
law  from 
■  any  kind 
Episcopal 
it  one  se- 
Canada  is 
tution,  for 


65 

the  maintenance  of  a  Protestant  clergy  within 
the  province."  This  land  lies  in  200  acre  lots, 
and  is  leased  out  for  21  years,  at  2  dollars  the 
first  7  years  of  the  lease,  4  dollars  the  second  7, 
and  6  dollars  the  third  7.  The  rent  of  these 
lots,  called  Clergy  reserves,  is  given  to  the  Cler- 
gy to  the  amount  of  800  dollars  a  year.  The 
Clergy  of  the  other  sectaries  are  paid  according 
to  the  will  and  bounty  of  their  hearers.  There 
has  been  no  general  revival  of  religion  of  late 
in  Canada,  yet  the  people  in  general  pay  a  very 
serious  attention  to  it  and  attend  to  preachr 
ing  very  well.  Profane  swearing  is  seldom 
heard,  and  the  sabbath  is  liigarded  with  con- 
siderable reverence.  Bigotry  or  superstition  is 
not  often  to  be  discovered  among  the  r^ habi- 
tants of  Canada,  of  course  they  do  not  perse- 
cute each  other,  but  are  friendly  and  loving. 

Diversions, — The  inhabitants  of  aimost  every 
country  have  their  diversions,  which  vary  ac- 
cording to  their  notions  of  pleasure;  of  course, 
the  people  of  Canada  have  theirs,  which  however, 
are  of  an  exercising  and  innocent  laature. 

Meeting  together  at  private  houses  and  danc- 
ing is  a  favourite  amusement  of  the  young  peg. 
pie.  This,  however,  is  not  carried  to  excess. 

Hunting  deer  and  bears  in  the  winter  is  also 
a  diversion,  and  a  very  proii table  one. 

Sleighing  is  another  amusement  of  which  the 
people  are  very  fond,  and  for  which  they  arc 
well  prepared,  as  it  respects  horses,  sleighs,  clo- 
thing, and  furs.  They  also  very  much  esteem 
the  music  of  bells,  some  having  at  times  40  on 

2  F 


0 


'I: 


i 

■i: 
I 


r 


66 


iSi 


teil'! 


the  harness  of  2  horses.  Much  produce  is  taken 
to  market  in  the  winter  by  sleighs,  in  which  is 
connected  both  pleasure  and  profit.  As  this  is 
a  level  country,  and  the  snow  lies  pretty  deep  all 
winter,  there  is  very  good  sleighing.  Most  of 
the  people  drive  Jehu-like,  or  **  furious." 

The  melody  of  the  human  voice  is  also  an 
amusement  of  the  young  people  of  both  sexes. 
Teachers  of  this  art  will  meet  with  good  encou- 
ragement in  almost  every  part  of  Canada. 

Comparatively  speaking,  Canada  is  but  a  new 
thinly  settled  country;  yet,  contrary  to  the  cus- 
tom of  the  inhabitants  of  such  places,  the  peo- 
ple here  dress  well  at  all  times,  but  when  they 
go  abroad,  or  on  the  sabbath,  they  dress  very 
fine.  When  I  say  they  dress  fine,  I  do  not 
mean  that  fancied  fineness,  studied  and  practis- 
ed in  large  cities  and  populous  places — such  as 
jewels,  rings,  ribbons,  powder,  paint,  and  the 
like;  but  with  garments  of  the  finest  stuffs,  with 
but  few  trinkets  of  any  kind.  The  most  of  their 
clothing  is  of  their  own  manufacturing,  j)articu- 
larly  the  woollen,  for  which  they  have  plenty  of 
the  best  of  wool. 

•  Horse-racing,  card- playing,  and  the  like  un- 
profitable  and  sinful  diversions  are  very  selelom 
performed  in  Canada, 

Drunkenness  and  dissipation  are  seldom  seen 
among  the  people.  As  all  have  to  get  their  liv- 
ing by  their  labour,  there  appears  to  be  but  little 
time  or  temptation  to  frequent  taverns  for  that 
purpose.  .  . 

'J'he  people  of  Canada  pay  very  little  attention 


is  takeii 
which  is 
LS  this  is 


\f  deep  all 
Most  of 


>> 


S.' 

s  also  an 
)th  sexes, 
xl  encou- 
ida. 

but  a  new 
o  the  cus- 
,  the  peo- 
vhen  they 
iress  very 
I  do  not 
id  practis- 
— such  as 
t,  and  the 
ituffs,  with 
ost  of  their 
g,  particu- 
e  plenty  ot 

ic  like  un- 
ry  seldom 


iX. 


eldom  seen 
their  liv- 
.:)e  but  little 
ns  for  that 


tie  attention 


to  any  kind  of  diversion  in  the  summer,  except 
to  visit  one  another  in  a  social  manner,  and  drink 
tea,  of  which  they  are  very  fond,  and  a  friendly 
chit-chat.  The  most  of  their  conversation  at  these 
times  relate  to  their  former  poverty  and  present 
plenty,  and  to  which  I  was  happy  to  listen,  when- 
ever it  happened  in  my  hearing,  as  it  indicated  a 
contented  and  thankful  mind  in  their  present 
situation;  and  could  wish  and  say  with  propri- 
ety— Esto  perpetua^  or,  may  it  last  forever. 

Manufacture.^, — It  is  not  to  be  expected  that 
the  manutactories  of  Canada  are  many  or  exten- 
sive. There  is  some  iron  made  in  the  province, 
though  the  quantity  is  small. 

Salt  is  ali^o  made  here,  though  to  a  small 
amount,  but  might  be  made  in  great  quantities. 

Hats,  shoes,  boots,  and  tin  and  crockery  ware 
are  manufactured  here  in  great  plenty. 

Linen  and  woollen  cloths  are  made  in  abun- 
dance. 

Whiskey,  and  apple  and  peach  brandy  are 
also  made  in  considerable  quantities. 

rRO>nscuous  ui:.mauks  on  tuk  covkrnment. 

The  constitution,  laws,  and  government  of 
Upper  Canada  are  much  better  than  people,  un- 
acquainted  with  them,  expect.  It  is  not  my  inten- 
tion here  to  write  much  respecting  the  govern- 
ment though  1  had  taken  much  pains  in  studying 
it  with  an  intention  of  publishing  the  result  (k 
my  inquiries  on  the  subject.  One  year  before 
the  declaration  oi  ^^ar  by  tlie  American  go\ern- 
ment  against  England,  wiiile  in  Canada,  I  is- 


!ii 

\ 
41:  ^ 

'it' 


68 


!ii 


sued  proposals  for  a  geographical  and  political 
view  of  the  province;  but,  as  it  is  now  gene- 
rally expected  that  the  province  will  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  American  government,  1  shall 
make  only  a  few  remarks  on  the  subject. 

In  the  year  1791,  the  then  called  province  of 
Quebec,  was  by  an  act  of  the  British  parlia- 
ment divided  into  two  separate  provinces — to 
be  called  the  province  of  Lower  Canada,  and 
the  province  of  Upper  Canada.  By  this  act,  a 
constitution  was  formed  for  each  province,  each 
in  its  nature  calculated  to  suit  the  situation  of 
their  respective  inhabitants — one  being  chiefly 
settled  by  the  French,  the  other  by  the  English. 

The  constitution  put  it  out  of  the  power  ot 
the  British  parliament  to  impose  any  taxes  on 
the  people,  either  upon  their  property  or  trade, 
but  what  was  necessary  for  the  regulation  of 
commerce:  but  ihio  should  be  disposed  of  by 
the  legislature  of  the  province,  for  the  benefit 
of  the  same.  The  constitution  also  provides 
for  the  creation  of  a  legislative  council  and  a 
legislative  assembly.  The  king  also  sends  a 
governor  who  acts  in  the  king's  name.  The 
itiembers  of  the  legislative  council  arc  selected 
by  the  king  and  governor  jointly;  these  hold 
their  seats  during  life  if  they  do  not  forfeit  it. 
The  members  of  the  legislative  assembly  are 
elected  every  4th  year  by  tlie  freemen  of  the  pro- 
vince. ^Vny  man  of  the  age  of  24,  and  who  is 
worth  property  to  the  amount  of  40^.  a  year,  and 
has  been  in  the  province  7  years,  may  be  elect- 
ed a  member  of  the  legislative  assembly,  or  vote 


political 
)vv  gene- 
fall  into 
nt,  1  shall 
ct. 

ovincc  of 
sh  parlia- 
inces — to 
nada,  and 
his  act,  a 
ince,  each 
tuation  of 
ng  chiefly 
i  English, 
power  ot 
'  taxes  on 
\  or  trade, 
ulation  of 
sed  of  by 
le  benefit 
provides 
icil  and  a 
sends  a 
\me.    The 
c  selected 
hese  hold 
forfeit  it. 
-embly  are 
of  the  pro- 
nd  who  is 
year,  and 
be  elect- 
ily,  or  vote 


6D 

for  one.^  The  making  of  laws  for  the  welfare 
X)f  the  people  is  the  business  of  the  legislative 
assembly,  must  be  assented  to  by  the  legislative 
council  and  governor,  in  the  king's  name,  be- 
fore they  become  laws,  yet  the  legislative  coun- 
cil, governor,  British  parliament  or  king,  can- 
not make  any  laws  for  the  people  of  Canada, 
*'  without  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  legisla- 
tive assembly." 

From  hence  we  see  that  the  people  have  got 
the  means  of  guarding  themselves.  About  12 
years  ago,  the  assembly  passed  an  act  dividing 
the  province  into  districts  or  ridings,  every  one 
of  which  sends  one  member  to  parliament  or 
tlie  assembly.  The  number  of  members  at  pre- 
sent, August  1812,  is  26,  two  thirds  of  which 
are  natives  of  the  United  States;!  less  than  one 
third  of  the  justices  of  the  peace  are  Americans, 
the  sheriffs  are  either  Europeans  or  loyalists; 
the  jury,  according  to  the  constitution,  must  be 
taken  in  rotation  from  each  township,  as  their 
names  stand  on  the  assessment  roll  or  list  of 
names;  of  course  the  majority  are  always 
Americans.  The  majority  of  the  courts  of  quar- 
ter sessions,  probate,  surrogate,  and  courts  of 
king's  bench,  are  Europeans;  yet  the  proceed- 
ings of  those  courts  are  regulated  by  the  acts  of 
the  assembly. 

In  the  second  session  of  the  first  parliament, 

•  The  people  vote  in  Canada  l)y  word  of  mouth. 

t  No  minister  of  the  p;ospel  can  get  in  either  house, 
of  course  the  people  are  not  afraid  of  spiritual  tyranny. 


,1  I 

:  I 


70 


ii 


^i 


s 

^ 


I 


in  1792 — 3,  an  act  was  passed  to  prevent  the 
further  introduction  of  slaves.  The  excellent 
words  of  that  act  being  thus: — **  Whereas  it  is 
unjust  that  a  people  who  enjoy  freedom,  by  law 

should   encourage  slavery That    after  the 

passing  of  this  act,  no  person  brought  into  the 
province  shall  be  subject  to  the  condition  of  a 
slave."  All  that  were  then  in  the  province  are 
free  at  25  years  of  age. 

The  taxes  in  Canada  are  very  small,  no  per- 
son is  taxed  more  than  one  penny  upon  the 
pound  sterling  he  is  worth,  according  to  the  va- 
luation of  property  made  by  act  of  parliament, 
and  which  at  present  is  not  more  than  half  of 
what  it  would  sell  for.  The  taxes  so  collected 
are  laid  out  by  the  judges  of  the  court  of  quar- 
ter sessions,  for  the  benefit  of  the  district  from 
which  it  is  collected,  and  where  the  court  is — 
k  is  to  pay  the  wages  of  the  members  of  assem- 
bly sent  from  the  district,  and  half  of  the  salary 
of  the  sheriffs  of  the  same;  to  build  or  repair 
the  court-house  or  jail,  and  the  like.  The  whole 
cxpence  of  the  government  of  Canada,  except 
what  is  here  noted,  is  paid  by  the  king,  which, 
together  with  the  Indian  department,  cost  him 
one  million  and  a  half  sterling  annually,  and 
which  frees  the  people  from  a  great  burthen. 

The  Moncasts,  Tunkers,  and  Quakers,  are 
exempted  from  military  duty  by  paying  annu- 
ally in  time  of  peace  5  dollars,  and  in  time  of 
war  20.  The  governor  of  the  province  has 
power  by  law  to  call  out  all  the  militia,  and  to 
cross  them  over  the  line  in  pursuit  of  an  enemy 


ent  the 
itcellent 
;as  it  is 
,  by  law 
fter  the 
into  the 
on  of  a 
ince  are 

,  no  per- 
ipon  the 
D  the  va- 
rliamcnt, 
1  half  of 
collected 
of  quar- 
rict  from 
Durt  is — 
of  assem- 
:he  salary 
or  repair 
['he  whole 
a,  except 
g,  which, 
cost  him 
ally,  and 
rthen. 
Iikers,  are 
jni^  annu- 
in  time  of 
nwcc   has 
la,  and  to 
Ian  enemy 


71 

that  has  invaded  the  province,  or  to  destroy 
any  fort  or  fortification,  that  may  be  the  means 
of  covering  or  assisting  an  invasion,  but  in  no 
other  case. 

Stealing  exposes  a  person  to  death,  if  the  thing 
stolen  is  worth  13  pence,  yet  the  plaintiff  may 
value  it  as  low  as  he  pleases,  and  if  below  13 
pence,  the  thief  is  clear.  No  one  has  yet  been 
hung  in  Upper  Canada  for  stealing,  however 
the  people  are  afraid  to  venture  their  lives  in  the 
>iands  of  others.  .      -• 


J  to;  ^:^t!f  >A>! 


:)  yfi.'-''}   ":  y   ■■''!:''  .  -''i 


t  nn  -n-r.^nric  ■:  i-s..-v[  ^^^ 


'i   '  i 


:i\ i  fi.1.7  h  <?T»i'.h  :i:!i 


fr»..i* 


\\..'\  ^q  t  z 


'vvi 


\ 


M'  'V.  ., 


;«.     •'.^,. 


v 


.-.:l  '•.!;  '}'iL  \  L 

«  V 


*     >  it 


♦  :;jl    *j.\ 


t » 


'1    •( 


i  \\  i  t  !      '     »    4        '     V' 


'   *    1 


l..». 


•*         I  5  I  -  •■■    • 


APrENDIX. 


<•»'      -^u.     .'■     >■ 


1     »^  .  t 


Jr'i 


w 


■  1  'Mb 


«. 


It. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  NIAGARA  FALLS. 

Many  writers  have  attempted  to  describe 
this  curiosity  of  nature;  yet  all  the  descriptions 
that  I  have  read,  appear  to  me  not  to  be  suffi- 
ciently illustrative  or  correct:  I  will  therefore 
describe  it  myself,  in  as  plain  a  manner  as  pos- 
sible, unadorned  with  any  fanciful  strokes  of 
rhetoric. 

In  order  to  have  a  proper  view  of  the  falls, 
and  adjacent  parts,  I  will  suppose  a  person  to 
be  sailing,  in  a  little  boat,  out  of  Lake  Ontario, 
up  the  Niagara  river  or  outlet  of  Lake  Erie. 
Soon  after  you  leave  the  lake,  you  pass  the  vil- 
lagc  of  Niagara,  on  the  right  hand,  and  Niagara 
old  fort  on  the  United  States  side.  A  little  fur- 
ther up,  you  pass  fort  George  on  the  right — 
here  the  water  is  deep  and  smooth.  You  still  sail 
on  a  due  south  course,  the  water  being  smooth, 
and  the  banks  about  16  feet  high,  and  in  most 
places  perpendicular  for  7  miles.  Here  you 
come  to  Queenston  on  the  right  hand,  and 
Lewiston  on  the  left,  or  United  States  side. 
This  place  is  called  the  landing,  for  here  all  the 
lading  of  vessels  destined  for  the  country,  each 
side  of  Lake  Eric,  and  the  Michigan  territory, 


IV 


73 


LLS. 

describe 
scriptions 

be  suffi- 

therefore 

er  as  pos- 

itrokes  of 

•  the  falls, 
person  to 
c  Ontario, 
,ake  Erie. 
,ss  the  vil. 
id  Niagara 
little  fur- 
e  right—- 
|ou  still  sail 
,g  smooth, 
id  in  most 
Here   you 
[hand,    and 
states  side, 
jcre  all  the 
Lntry,  each 
n  territory, 


are  taken  out  and  conveyed  up  the  mountain 
or  slope  9  miles  to  the  still  water,  2  miles  above 
the  falls.  The  ascent  of  this  slope,  though  300 
feet  high,  is  very  easy.  The  river  here  is  half 
a  mile  wide,  and  a  little  above  there  is  a  whirl 
of  considerable  depth,  though  not  dangerous.* 
After  you  pass  this  place  300  yards,  you  enter 
the  dismal  chime:  and  instead  of  the  lively  pros- 
pect of  the  sailing  of  ships  with  flying  colours, 
fruitful  fields  and  pleasant  landscapes,  you  arc 
all  at  once  buried  in  a  grave  of  at  least  300  feet 
deep.  Although  it  is  open  at  the  top,  should 
you  look  up,  the  sight  is  truly  gloomy:  the 
banks  are  perpendicular,  and  in  some  places 
more  than  perpendicular,  abounding  with  crag- 
gy rocks  hanging  over  your  head  in  a  frightful 
manner:  near  the  surface,  there  is  to  be  seen 
Hat  rocks  projecting  towards  each  other  in  a 
horizontal  position. f  You  still  row  on  a  south 
direction  with  little  variation,  the  water  is  con- 
siderably rapid,  and  the  banks  have  nearly  the 
same  appearance,  until  within  about  a  mile  of 
the  cataract,  where  the  banks  are  not  quite  so 
high;  but  still  all  is  gloomy,  as  you  are  buried 
from  the  sight  of  the  land  of  t^  living,  and 

*  This  place  is  memorable.  Here  the  Americans 
irossed  on  the  13th  of  October,  1812,  to  invade  Canada. 

t  This  place  is  also  memorable.  Down  in  this  dread- 
ful chime,  a  number  of  the  American  soldiers  were 
drove  headlong  by  ihe  Indians,  after  they  had  surren- 
(leicd  themselves  prisoners  of  war  to  the  IJritish,  on  the 
15th  of  October    1812. 


I      t 

.   ■•    ■  i 
It' 

*  '*  1 


74 


must  be  filled  with  haunted  thoughts  of  500 
murdered  dead,  that  in  one  fatal  hour,  plunged 
into  the  mighty  grave  near  which  you  now  are.* 
As  you  proceed,  the  water  becomes  very 
rapid,  and  at  length  the  mighty  falls  appear  in 
full  tremendous  view,  and  fill  the  ear  with  dis- 
mal  roar.  It  is  8  miles  from  Queenston.  When 
you  arrive  within  300  yards  of  the  cataract,  you 
must  stop.  Here  the  bed  of  the  river  widens, 
and  is  not  sunk  more  than  half  the  distance  be- 
low the  surface,  as  it  was  at  your  first  entrance 
of  the  chime.  A  view  of  the  horizon  is  of 
course  more  extensive,  ^n  sitting  in  your  little 
bark,  the  above  distance,  with  your  face  to  the 
south,  before  you  flows  the  main  body  of  water, 
and  plunges  over  with  a  tremendous  dash. 
About  60  yards  of  the  middle  of  this  cataract 
is  much  deeper  than  the  rest  in  consequence  of 
a  chime  sunk  in  the  rock.  The  water  has  a 
bluish  green  appearance.  On  your  left  hand, 
comes  the  other  part  of  the  river  not  so  large 
by  a  sixth  part,  and  falls  over  also. 


I   '.1: 


iLn 


*  Some  distance  below  the  falls,  on  the  U.  S.  side, 
near  the  chime,||here  is  a  hole,  called  the  Devil's  Hole, 
300  yards  in  circuit,  and  300  feet  deep»  with  trees  and 
cragjjy  rocks  sticking  to  the  inner  surface.  In  the 
French  war  in  this  province,  in  1759,  there  M-as  a  com- 
pany of  500  American  and  British  soldiers,  with  all  their 
ba^igage  waggons,  ntarchii.g  by  the  hole;  when  they 
were  all  driven  into  ii,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  by  a 
company  of  French,  who  lay  in  ambush.  Only  two  men 
escaped.  One  of  them  now  lives  five  miles  from  the 
place. 


ha 


75 


s  of  500 
plunged 
low  are.* 
nes  very 
appear  in 
with  dis- 
,n.  When 
aract,  you 
;r  widens, 
stance  be- 
t  entrance 
izon  is  of 
your  little 
face  to  the 
y  of  water, 
^ous   dash, 
is  cataract 
equence  of 
ater  has  a 
left  hand, 
ot  so  large 


U.  S.  side, 
Devil's  Hole, 
ilh  trees  and 
ace.  In  the 
3  was  a  coni- 
Nvith  all  their 
;  when  they 
bayonet,  by  iv 

nly  two  men 
lies  from  the 


This  river  is  divided  into  two  separate  pitch- 
es, each  400  yards  in  width.*  This  division 
is  made  by  a  small  island,  crowding  up  to  the 
verge  of  the  rock,  near  the  middle.  It  extends 
half  a  mile  up  the  stream,  and  terminates  in  a 
point,  where  the  water  divides  to  the  right  and 
left. 

The  form  of  the  cataract  bends  inwards,  or 
is  nearly  a  semicircle.  By  the  striking  force  of 
the  falling  water  on  that  below,  wind  is  press- 
ed under,  which  rises  below  in  a  foaming  man- 
ner, though  not  to  any  height  or  violence. f 

The  lime-stone  rock  on  the  U.  S.  side,  over 
which  the  water  flows,  shelves  considerably, 
and  leaves  a  large  cavity  between  the  base  and 
falling  column  of  water;  and,  were  it  not  for 
the  depression  of  air,  a  person  might  walk  some 
distance  in  it  without  being  wet. 

The  mighty  dash  of  so  great  a  body  of  water 
on  the  bed  below,  raises  a  fog  or  small  rain, 
which  mounts  up  and  spreads  to  a  c:)nbidcra- 
blc  distance,  in  which,  (ulicn  the  sun  shines) 
may  be  seen  a  variety  of  beautiful  rainbows. 
In  the  winter,  this  rain  lighting  upon  the  neigh- 
!)ouring  trees,  congeals  in  a  thousand  shapes, 
forming  a  romantic  and  pleasing  iippcarance. 

About  half  a  mile  above  the  falls,  what  are 

*  Great  numbers  of  small  eels  inay  be  seen  on  the 
edge  of  the  bcacli,  l>elo\\  the  falls.  Tiicy  are  trying  to 
p;et  over;  but  cannot  succeed,  unless  some  one  assists 
them. 

t  This  Mr.  Ellicott  compares  to  cocks  of  hay;  but  T 
liavc  never  seen  any  thinjj  of  thai  api>eurance. 


;1 


il 


S:-:! 


Ml 


76 


i, 


oalled  the  rapids  hcgin,  and  descend  50  feet  lo 
the  cat.jract.*  Tlie  draft  of  this  rapid  is  sq 
grtat,  that  it  often  reaches  ducks  and  geese, 
when  they  appear  to  be  half  a  mile  out  of  dan- 
ger,  and  when  once  under  the  influence  of  the 
impetuous  current,  they  cannot  get  on  the  wing 
again.  Indians  with  their  canoes  have  been 
known  to  be  irresi.^tibly  carried  down  the  rapid, 
and  have  disappeared  for  ever. 

Above  this  rapid,  the  river  spreads  to  nearly 
3  miles  wide,  and  is  shallow,  with  several  small 
islands. 

The  river  now  has  a  southeast  course  to 
Grand  Island,  9  miles  wide,  and  then  south  to 
lake  Erie,  where  it  is  only  a  mile  wide.  This 
is  20  miles  from  the  falls  by  water.  From  this 
place,  you  may  sail  more  than  1000  miles  if 
you  wish,  to  the  end  of  Lake  Superior,  without 
encountering  any  more  falls. 

If  my  reader  pleases,  I  will  invite  him  back 
again,  to  view  and  contemplate  a  little  more  this 
awful  scene.  On  both  sides  of  the  rapids,  above 
the  falls,  the  banks  of  the  river  are  quite  low, 
and  there  are  many  convenient  situations  for 
water  works.  Several  are  now  erected,  yet 
there  is  room  for  more.  With  a  small  expense, 
a  large  quantity  of  water  can  be  brought  in  use 
to  do  great  execution. 

The  perpendicular  pitch  of  this  vast  body  of 

*  The  bed  of  the  rapids  is  very  rocky.  The  water  falls 
70  feet  below  the  cataract  in  considerable  rapids  for  eight 
miles. 


> 


0  feet  to 
id  is  SQ 
d  geese, 
L  of  dan- 
:e  of  the 
the  wing 
Lve  been 
Lhe  rapid, 

lo  nearly 
eral  small 

course  to 

1  south  to 
ide.  This 
From  this 
0  miles  if 
>r,  without 


him  back 
more  this 
iids,  above 
[quite  low, 
lations  for 
lected,  yet 
|l  expense, 
ight  in  use 

ist  body  of 

lie  water  falls 
]ids  for  eight 


77 

water  is  144  feet — add  to  this  50  feet  above 
and  70  feet  below,  and  we  find  that  the  river 
descends  in  8  miles  and  a  half,  i264  feet.  Some 
who  have  never  seen  this  river,  suppose  it  to  be 
much  less  than  it  is,  while  others  suppose  it  to 
be  larger.  Indeed  it  is  hard  for  any  one  to  judge 
with  propriety,  that  has  seen  it,  as  there  are  but 
8  miles  in  the  whole  length  of  the  river,  be- 
tween the  two  lakes  where  any  current  can  be 
seen,  and  that  is  very  rapid. 

For  the  contemplation  of  the  curious,  who 
may  perhaps  never  see  these  falls,  I  have  made 
the  following  calculation,  from  which  they  may 
form  some  tolerably  correct  idea  of  the  quan- 
tity of  water  that  falls  over  this  cataract. 

Say  that  each  of  the  spaces  over  which  the 
water  pitches,  is  400  yards  wide,  or  1200  feet. 
The  most  shallow  one  of  these,  or  that  on  the 
U.  S.  side,  is  3  feet  deep,  on  the  verge  of  the 
rock  over  which  it  falls.  Now  if  we  multiply 
its  depth  (3  feet)  into  its  width,  (1200  feet)  we 
have  5600  cubic  or  solid  feet  of  water  on  the 
verge  of  the  precipice.  As  there  are  G2  pounds 
avoirdupois  in  a  cubic  or  solid  foot  of  water, 
(and  a  little  more,  \\  hich  we  will  leave  out  to 
avoid  fractions)  so  if  wc  multiply  62  (the  pounds 
in  a  square  foot  of  water)  into  3600  (the  num- 
ber of  feet  of  water  on  the  serge)  we  have 
223,200  pounds  of  water  on  the  verge  of  the 
precipice.  But  when  we  consider  the  laws  of 
gravity  respecting  spouting  fluids  and  fall- 
ing bodies,  we  shall  find  that  the  water  of  this 
cataract  receives  a  vast  additional  weiG:ht  bv  the 

G2 


if' 
f 


,1     j. 


.v; 


78 


u 


time  it  comes  to  the  lowest  point  of  fall.  In  or- 
der, therefore,  to  find  this  adc'itionai  weight, 
we  must  note  the  following  ihi^i^s: — 

**  Heavy  bodies  near  the  surif^ct  of  the  earth, 
fall  1  foot  the  first  quarter  of  a  second,  3  feet 
the  second,  5  feet  the  third,  and  7  feet  in  the 
fourth  quarter;  that  is,  16  feet  in  the  first  se- 
cond. Let  go  three  bullets  together — stop  the 
first  at  one  second,  and  it  will  have  fallen  16 
feel;  stop  the  next  at  the  end  of  the  second  se- 
cond, and  it  will  have  fallen  (2  X  2  =  4)  4  times 
16,  or  64  feet;  and  stop  the  last  at  the  end  of 
the  third  second,  and  the  distance  fiUlen  will  be 
(3  X  3  =  9)  9  times  16  or  144  feet,  and  so  on. 
Now  the  momentum,  or  force  with  which  a 
falling  body  strikes,  is  equal  to  its  weight  mul- 
tiplied by  its  velocity,"  and  in  order  to  find 
which  we  must  "  multiply  the  perpendicular 
space  fallen  through  by  64,  and  the  square  root 
of  the  i)roduct  is  the  velocity  required."  Sec 
Pikers  Arithmetic,  page  362 — 5. 

From  calculation,  we  find  that  the  water  of 
this  cataract  is  3  seconds  descending  the  144 
feet  and  that  the  velocity  acquired  in  that  time 
and  distance  to  be  96,  which  if  we  multiply 
into  223,200,  the  number  of  pounds  of  water 
on  the  top  of  the  rock,  we  find  that  21,427,200 
is  the  weight  thereof  at  its  lowest  point  of  fall: 
this  is  the  weight  of  the  water  of  the  smallest 
part  of  the  cataract,  or  that  on  the  United  States 
side.  The  other  part  of  the  falls  as  has  been 
noted,  is  at  least  6  times  as  large,  that  is  6  times 
the  quantity  of  water  flows  over  it.  Now  if  wc 


79 


11.  Inov- 
i  weight, 

the  earth, 
id,  3  feet 
et  in  the 
:  first  se- 
— stop  the 
fiillen  16 
lecond  se- 
4)  4  times 
he  end  of 
len  will  be 
and  so  on. 
1  which  a 
eight  mill- 
er to  find 
pendicular 
qiiare  root 
red."   Sec 

e  water  of 
g  the  144 
'  that  time 
-:  irailtiply 

of  water 
^,427,200 
)int  of  fall: 
le  smallest 
lited  States 

has  been 
t  is  6  times 
Now  if  vvc 


multiply  the  above  sum  (21,427,200)  by  6,  we 
shall  have  the  enormous  sum  of  128,563,200 
pounds  of  water,  which  falls  on  the  bed  of  the 
river  below. 

No  wonder  then  that  the  solid  rock  and  dis- 
tant surface  bend  beneath  the  mighty  pressure, 
and  that  the  sound  is  often  heard  at  the  dis- 
tance of  20,  and  sometimes  50  miles.  How- 
ever, it  must  be  here  noticed  that  falling  bodies 
meet  with  resistance  from  the  air  through  which 
they  pass,  which  is  always  in  proportion  to  the 
distance  fallen,  the  velocity  of  the  motion  and 
dimensions  of  their  surfiices;  or  in  other  words, 
the  water  of  this  cataract  is  considerably  resist- 
ed by  the  air  through  which  it  falls,  from  which 
circumstance  it  appears  that  there  ought  to  be 
some  reduction  from  its  weight  or  striking  force, 
at  its  lowest  point  of  fall:  yet  when  we  observe 
that  fluids  act  by  pressure  and  gravity  both,  and 
that  every  part  of  this  cataract  is  of  some  depth, 
and  about  GO  yards  is  18  feet  deep,  where  the 
pressure  is  great,  of  course  we  may  fairly  calcu- 
late that  the  pressure  outbalances  the  resistance. 
But  as  fluids  are  non-elastic,  they  do  not  pro- 
duce but  half  the  eflfect  of  perfect  elastic  bodies. 
Were  the  water  of  this  cataract  a  perfect  elas- 
tic body  and  fell  on  a  perfect  elastic  base,  the 
striking  force  and  sound  would  be  just  4  times 
as  great  as  it  now  is.  Several  writers  who  have 
wrote  a  description  of  this  cataract  and  the  ad- 
jacent parts,  have  stated  that  the  falls  were 
once  down  at  the  landing  on  the  north  side  of 
the   sloi)e   or  mountain  already  noted.     And 


..1 


80 


II 


i  ' 

V 

'i'i  \ 

ill 
it 


• 


>  li 


mi 


J 


1       !, 


'*  that  from  the  great  length  of  time,  quantity 
of  ^vater,  and  distance  from  which  it  fell,  the 
solid  rock  is  wore  away  for  7  miles  up  the 


'hei 


To 


ph 


stream,  to  wnerc  it  is  now. 
that  neither  of  these  assertions  are  true.  Who- 
ever will  take  the  pains  to  view  the  chasm  from 
the  beginning  of  the  slope  through  which  the 
water  now  flows  up  to  the  falls,  must  be  convin- 
ced of  the  mistake,  for  the  banks  are  not  solid 
rock,  but  are  in  some  places  sand,  in  others  sand 
and  ciay,  and  in  others  solid  rock,  as  also  trees, 
bushes,  loose  rocks  and  stones,  but  in  very  few 
places  are  banks  of  solid  rock  on  both  sides.* 
That  the  cataract  was  ever  down  at  the  north  side 
of  the  slope,  is  a  conjecture  to  me  very  impro- 
bable, for  if  it  was  ever  there,  it  must  have  fal- 
len from  those  flat  and  horizontal  rocks  already 
named,  and  which  are  near  the  surface  of  the 
ground.  The  surface  of  the  ground,  or  top  of 
the  slope,  where  the  falls  are  supposed  once  to 
have  been,  is  8  feet  higher  than  the  still  water 
above  the  rapids  already  noted,  according  to 
measurmcnt,  and  but  1  foot  lower  than  the 
lower  end  of  lake  Erie. 

Now  as  there  is  a  considerable  hollow  on 
the  United  Slates  side,  about  half  way  between 
the  falls  and  the  top  of  the  mountain,  it  is  evi- 

*  General  Lincoln,  who  viewed  the  banks  of  this  river 
in  llic  year  17  >4,  says,  '*  on  a  carei'ul  examination  of  the 
banks  (if  the  river  it  was  evident  that  there  was  no  good 
Ibinul.'vtion  for  this  (the  above)  opinion."  bee  a  note  in 
IVlorse'b  Gazetteer,  printed  in  Boston,  in  1797,  under  thr 
word  Niagara. 


Si 


quantit) 
fc-ll,  the 
s  up  the 
t  is  ph\iii 
e.  Who. 
ism  from 
^^hich  the 
e  convin- 
not  solid 
hers  sand 
ilso  trees, 
very  few 
h  sides.* 
lorth  side 
ry  impro- 
:  have  fal- 
ls already 
ce  of  the 
or  top  of 
d  once  to 
till  water 
)rding  to 
than  the 

lollow  on 
between 
it  is  evi- 

f  this  river 
Mion  of  the 
^as  no  gocnl 
a  note  in 
,  under  thr 


dent  the  whole  river  would  have  found  its  way 
into  Lake  Ontario  through  this  hollow,  rather 
than  rise  at  least  30  feet  to  flow  over  the  top 
of  the  mountain  or  slope. 

From  the  falls,  the  ground  is  level  in  every 
direction,  and  on  the  Canada  side,  fields  are 
cultivated  to  the  verge  of  the  bank  in  some 
places.  The  cataract  may  be  seen  from  some 
directions,  at  the  distance  of  4  miles.  A  little 
above  these  falls  there  is  a  spring  emiting  a  gas, 
or  an  inflammable  air,  which  if  confined  in  a 
pipe  or  tube,  and  fire  set  to  it,  will  burn. 

It  is  curious  to  see  all  the  trees  near  this  cat- 
aract cut  on  the  bark  for  a  considerable  dis- 
tance up,  all  over  with  the  initials  or  first  letters 
of  person's  names,  with  the  year  in  which  they 
were  cut:  some  of  these  dates  are  of  consider- 
able age;  I  discovered  2  that  had  been  made 
207  years,  or  in  1606,  which  was  but  2  years 
before  the  province  was  settled  by  the  French, 
though  it  was  discovered  by  the  English  ;>16 
years  ago,  or  in  the  year  1497.  There  is  a  lad- 
der provided  144  feet  long,  to  go  down  into 
the  cha5.m,  though  but  few  will  venture.* 

The  Massaugus  nation  of  Indians  used  to  sac- 
rifice to  this  cataract,  before  they  were  visited 
by  the  Roman  Catholic  Priests. 

About  2  years  ago,  some  of  the  island  alrea- 
dy named  fell  to  the  bottom  with  a  great  sound, 

*  I  am  told  this  ladder  was  fixed  here  by  the  orders 
and  at  the  ex])encc  of  a  hidy  troui  Boston;  who  after 
it  was  finished  was  the  first  that  ventured  down.  I  am 
sorry  that  1  cannot  record  her  name. 


Jr', 


':  ►* 


82 


Remarks  relative  to  the  situation  of  the  people 
of  Canada,  respecting  the  war:  and  a  concise 
history  of  its  progress  to  the  present  date. 

In  writing  upon  Uiis  subject,  I  feel  as  if  I 
was  treading  upon  delicate  ground,  A'though 
I  feel  as  much  neutrality  in  the  contest  as  per- 
haps it  is  possible  for  any  one  to  feel,  except 
that  I  have  one  wish  which  is  that  of  peace. 
Yet,  no  doubr,  some  of  my  readers  will  find,  or 
think  they  find  some  partiality  in  my  remarks 
on  the  subject. 

However,  I  intend  to  relate  nothing  but  the 
truth,  the  general  knowledge  of  which,  I  hope 
will  be  beneficial. 

I  have  already  noted  that  6  out  of  10  of  the 
inhabitants,  were  natives  of  the  United  States^, 
or  their  children  born  in  Canuda.  These  peo- 
ple did  not  move  to  the  provmce  because  they 
preferred  the  government  of  Great  Britian  to 
that  of  the  United  States,  but  in  order  to  ob- 
tain land  upon  easy  terms,  for  it  must  be  re- 
membered, that  all  the  land  of  Canada  now  in- 
habited, was  given  to  the  people  by  the  king 
who  bought  it  of  the  Indians.* 

It  must  here  be  mentioned  also,  that  in  order 
to  obtain  this  gift,  they  were  under  the  neces- 
sity of  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  his  Ma- 
jesty, the  King. 

•  At  present  there  is  a  small  considcratior  "cquired, 
and  should  ihis  land  be  f>oId  at  any  time  to  any  person, 
such  person  must  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  wiibin  1 
Vcur,  gr  the  Idnd  fulls  back  to  the  kin^. 


«^a 


S3 


e  people 
a  concise 
date, 

I  as  if  1 
^Uhouc;h 
t  as  per- 
,  except 
)f  peace. 
\  find,  or 
remarks 

T  but  the 
h,  I  hope 

10  of  the 
d  States, 
lese  peo- 
uise  they 
kitian  to 
:r  to  ob- 
bt  be  re- 
i  now  in- 
the  king 

t  in  order 
lie  neces- 
his  Ma- 


•cquired, 
Iny  person, 
Ic  vviibin  I 


While  the  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
were  in  debate,  relative  to  the  declaration  of 
war  against  England,  and  all  her  territories 
and  dependencies,  the  parliament  of  Canada 
passed  a  lav^  providing  for  the  raising  and 
training  1  third  of  the  militia  of  the  province, 
between  the  age  of  18  and  45  called  flank 
companies.  And  at  the  same  time  passed  an 
act  for  the  formation  of  a  peculiar  kind  of  an 
oath  of  allegiance,  to  be  administered  to  the 
militia,  at  the  discretion  of  the  Governor. 

This  oath  was  the  subject  of  great  complaint, 
and  many  refused  to  take  it,  insomuch  that 
the  governor  thought  proper  to  lay  it  by. 

At  this  session,  there  was  an  attempt  made  to 
pass  an  act  to  suspend  for  18  months,  the  habeas 
corpus  act,  and  thereby  to  de[)rive  the  people  of 
the  process  of  trial  by  court  and  jury  in  cer- 
tain cases.  However,  it  did  not  pass  by  some 
odds. — Mad  this  act  passed  there  is  no  doubt 
but  that  a  rebellion  would  have  taken  place. 

The  act  that  was  passed  for  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  part  of  tiie  miliiia,  was  carried  into 
eflect  without  any  opposition,  ^s  but  few  ex- 
pected that  the  (kelaration  of  \var  .vould  take 
place;  indeed,  bux  few  kne  v  liuit  such  an  act 
was  under  consideration;  ♦^k  invaSi^  i  of  Can- 
ada was  contemplatid  but  b}  tew. 

When  war  was  declared  against  England 
which  was  the  18th  of  June,  Mr.  Foster,  Mniister 
from  the  court  of  Great  Biitain,  to  the  United 
Slates,  sent  an  express  to  Canada  fronx  Wash- 
ington, with  great  speed. 


d4 

When  the  government  were  informed  of  the 
event,  the  flank  companies  were  ordered  to 
Fort  George,  and  other  places  on  the  lines, 
with  great  expedition. 

They  were  told  that  they  must  go  to  such 
places  to  get  their  muskets,  after  which  they 
might  return.  This  order  they  obeyed  with 
cheerfulness,  not  knowing  that  war  was  de- 
clared, or  that  they  should  be  detained,  which 
however  was  the  case. 

Had  they  known  of  the  declaration  of  war, 
and  that  they  were  to  be  detained  for  that  pur- 
pose, I  am  of  opinion  that  but  few  would  have 
complied  with  the  orders,  though  most  of  them 
were  under  obligation  so  to  do,  having  taken 
an  oath  to  that  effect.* 

At  the  same  time  the  regular  soldiers  were 
marched  from  York  to  Fort  George.  All  the 
Indian  warriors  on  Grand  River  were  called 
for,  and  they  went  down  immediately, — but 
soon  returned.  After  this  the  chiefs  made  an 
agreement  with  the  governor,  and  were  to 
have  good  wages  to  engage  m  the  war,  after 
which  they  returned  again. 

In  a  little  time  after  this  the  flank  companies 
raised  in  different  parts  of  the  province  some 
distance  from  Fort  George,  were  called  to  it) 

*  Upon  the  declaration  of  war,  the  governor  issued  a 
procluniution,  making  it  treason  ibr  any  one  to  crosa 
tlu'  line.  Had  not  this  been  done,  one  half  of  the  peo- 
ple would  have  left  the  province,  the  fear  of  wiw  wns  so 
great.  All  the  boats  were  taken  out  of  the  waters  and 
put  under  guard. 


85 


?d  of  the 
iered  to 
he  lines, 

to  such 
lich  they 
yed  with 

was  de- 
d,  which 

I  of  war, 
that  pur- 
)uld  have 
it  of  them 
mg  taken 

iers  wTre 

All  the 

re  called 

ely, — but 

made  an 

were  to 

var,  after 

ompanies 
ice  some 
led  lo  itj 

lor  isKued  a 
c  to  crosa 

if  the  pco- 
\vi\v  wi'-s  so 
waierb  and 


and  at  the  same  time  Gen.  Hull  invaded  ihc 
province  at  Sandwich,  nearly  300  miles  west 
of  Fort  George.  I  then  lived  on  the  main 
road  that  leads  to  it,  on  which  all  the  soldiers 
passed,  and  conversed  with  some  hundreds  of 
them,  respecting  their  feelings  and  views,  and 
found  that  nearly  all  of  them  were  of  the  same 
mind,  and  that  was,  if  Hull  came  down  to  Fort 
George,  (which  was  the  universal  expectation) 
and  they  were  ordered  to  march  against  him, 
they  would  not  obey.  Such  was  their  dread 
of  war,  and  partiality  to  the  United  States' 
government.  But  not  a  man  would  have  joined 
him  and  fought  against  the  king,  as  was  the 
opinion.  But  the  event  was,  Hull  did  not  come, 
but  continued  at  Sandwich,  and  sent  a  procla- 
matiun  among  tht^  people,  telling  them  he  was 
come  to  deliver  them  from  tyranny,  and  that 
he  was  able  to  accomplish  the  task;  but,  at  the 
same  time,  he  invited  ihem  to  join  him,  like 
true  rebels  against  their  king  and  oaths,  or  else 
stay  at  home  and  mind  their  own  work;  but  if 
any  should  come  against  him,  and  be  found 
fighting  by  the  side  of  an  Indian,  they  should 
be  murdered  without  mercy.  I  believe  almost 
every  one  that  saw  or  heard  of  this  proclama- 
tion, treated  its  contents  with  contempt.  Peo- 
plf  are  hardly  ever  so  willing  to  do  wrong  from 
the  advice  of  others,  as  of  their  own  accord. 

Now  to  take  up  arms  against  their  king, 
whom  they  had  sworn  to  protect,  was  too  much. 
They  were  oflliuJed  at  any  man,  who  could 
think  them  capable  of  such  conduct;  and  as  to 

H 


86 


assisting  Hull  in  freeing  them  from  tyranny,  it 
was  a  mere  notion — for  if  they  had  been  un- 
der any,  ihey  could  at  any  time  have  crossed 
the  line  to  the  United  Slates.  But  they  were 
told  that  they  might  stay  at  home  and  mind 
their  business; — this  proposal  they  would  wil- 
lingly have  acceded  to,  for  they  dreaded  the 
war  with  their  whole  souls.  Some  of  them  in- 
deed took  the  friendly  advice,  for  which  they 
were  sharply  rebuked  by  their  rulers,  and  in 
consequence  of  this  some  fled  ♦o  the  w  ilderness, 
♦  and  some  remain  there  until  this  day  for  aught 
I  know;*  but  sU  of  them  were  much  exiispera- 
ted  against  Hull,  for  thrtateni'ig  not  to  give 
any  one  quarters,  who  should  be  found  fighting 
by  the  side  of  an  Indian. 

I'hey  were  w'ell  assured  that  Hull  knew  ev- 
erv  man  in  Canada  to  be  under  the  control  of 
the  government,  and  that  they  were  obliged  to 
bear  arms,  and  at  least  to  march  where  thev 
were  ordered,  and  that  they  could  not  prevent 
the  Indians  IVom  marching  witn  them.  They 
also  knew  that  they  must  commence  an  engage- 
mcnt,  should  they  be  brought  in  sight  of  Hull's 
army;  but  in  the  confusion  of  a  battle,  should 
one  take  place,  many  hoped  to  make  their  es- 

•  A  ven;  few  flwl  to  Hull,  but  when  he  j^ave  ihcm  up 
Ujey  were  Jt  luirt,  but  put  in  juil.  It  has  been  report- 
ed that  th.  .  were  han^i ..;  but  this  is  without  foundutiun. 
What  has  Occn  d(j!\e  \\\\.\\  them  shi<;e  i  left  the  province 
1  know  not 


%. 


87 


ranny,  it 
ten  un- 
crosst'd 
ley  were 
id  mind 
mid  wil- 
adcd  the 
them  in- 
ich  ihcy 
;,  and  in 
Iderncss, 
for  aught 
.'xi'ispera- 
t  to  give 
i  fighting 

knew  ev- 
:ontrol  of 
bliged  to 
icre  thev 
it  prevent 
1.  They 
engage- 
A'  Hull's 
should 
I  heir  es- 

c  ihcra  up 
L^en  leporl- 

uuiidutiun. 
itr  province 


Gape  to  Hull.  However,  after  this  dreadful  de^ 
duration,  no  one  had  any  such  view,  believing 
if  they  should  leave  the  British  army,  from 
among  the  Indians,  and  go  to  Hull,  that  he 
would  kill  them  according  to  his  promise.  This 
operated  very  much  in  favor  of  the  British 
eause. 

It  was  generally  thought  in  Canada,  that  if 
Hull  had  marched  with  haste  from  Sandwich  to 
fort  George,  the  province  would  then  have  been 
conquered  without  the  loss  of  a  man;  for  at 
that  time  the  British  would  not  have  been  able 
to  bring  more  than  1200  men  to  oppose  him, 
before  he  could  have  reached  the  Niagara  riv- 
er, and  co-operated  with  the  army  on  the  cast 
side,  who  then  could  have  come  over  with  safe- 
tv,  and  so  there  would  been  an  end  of  the  unr 
happy  war  p<Thaps.* 

But,  contrary  to  all  expectation,  Hull  re- 
mained at  Sandwich,  till  general  Brock  issued 
his  proclamation  to  the  people,  telling  them  that 
Hull  was  sent  by  Madison  to  conquer  the  prov- 
ince for  Bonapartt",  and  if  they  did  not  repel 
liim  they  would  be  sent  to  France.     This  was 

**  Whenever  the  officer  came  to  warn  the  inhabitants 
to  meet  at  such  a  place,  to  receive  arms  and  oiflcis  lo 
march  a;j:uinht  Hull,  tliey  proiniseil  to  go;  but,  iioicail 
of  p;«)inj?  they  took  sonic  provision  and  went  to  the  »o<kIs, 
ami  tlierc  waited  in  hopes  tlrit  h:  uould  soon  acc&)iiipli>h 
his  promise,  hut  poor  tl<in^;s  they  were  deceived  and 
had  10  return  and  obey  oitlers. 


'"^  jj^fSB^^^^^^ 


88 


a  successful  step  towards  a  prcparati6n  to  op- 
pose Hull.  Brock  then  beat  up  for  volunteei^s  at 
Fort  George,  to  go  with  him  and  oppose  the  in- 
vader, promising  all  who  would  engage  with  him 
to  fare  the  same  with  himself,  and  have  200 
acres  of  land. — About  300  turned  out,  and  took 
water  to  go  by  the  way  of  Lake  Erie.  At  the 
same  time  he  sent  2  pieces  of  flying  artillery,  and 
a  few  regulars  by  land.  He  had  also  ordered 
some  part  of  the  militia  from  the  district  of  Lon- 
don  about  100  miles  from  Sandwich,  to  march 
there.  This  many  refused  to  do  of  their  owp 
accord,  and  others  were  persuaded  so  to  refuse 
by  a  Mr.  Culver,  a  Mr.  Beamer,  and  one  more 
who  rode  among  the  juople  for  6  days,  telling 
them  to  stand  back.  However,  they  were  ap- 
prehended, and  the  most  of  the  people  l)ecame 
obedient.  After  this  they  had  their  choice 
to  go  or  stay,  and  some  went.  The  result  of 
this  expedition  is  sufliciently  public,  and  need 
not  be  inserted  here.  However,  it  may  here 
be  remarked,  that  the  capture  of  Hull  and  his 
army  with  the  surrender  of  the  fort  of  De- 
troit, and  all  the  Michigan  Territory,  were 
events  which  the  people  of  Canada  could  scarce- 
ly believe,  even  after  they  were  known  to  be 
true.  Indeed  when  I  saw  the  oflicers  and  sol- 
diers returning  to  Fort  George,  with  the  spoils 
of  my  countrymen,  I  could  scarcely  believe 
my  own  eyes.  The  most  of  the  people  in 
Canada  think  that  Hull  was  bribed  by  the 
British  to  give  up  the  lort. 


89 


>n  to  op- 
inttci'^s  at 
4e  the  in- 
vvith  him 
lave  200 
and  took 
.  At  the 
llcry,and 
ordered 
t  of  Lon- 
to  march 
heir  owp 
to  refuse 
Dne  more 
s,  telling 
were  ap- 
e  l)ecame 
r   choice 
result  of 
and  need 

fnay  here 
,1  and  his 
of  De- 
y,  were 
d  scarce- 
vn  to  be 
and  sol- 
he  spoils 
believe 
)eople  in 
by  the 


After  this  event,  the  people  of  Canada  be- 
came fearful  of  disobeying  the  government; 
some  that  had  fled  to  the  wilderness  returned 
home;  and  the  friends  of  the  United  States 
were  discouraged,  and  those  of  the  king  en- 
couraged. 

Great  preparations  were  now  made — the  mi- 
litia were  trained  every  week,  and  a  number 
more  called  out;  and  some  hundreds  of  regu- 
lars came  from  the  lower  province.  The  army 
now  became  respectable,  and  a  dread  fell  on 
those  who  had  opposed  the  government.  The 
people  now  saw  that  it  was  as  much  as  their 
property  and  lives  were  worth  to  disobey  or- 
ders, and  now  what  they  had  been  compelled 
to  do,  after  a  little  while  they  did  from  choice. 

Things  remained  in  this  situation  till  August, 
when  the  parliament  met  for  a  short  session, 
and  put  all  the  public  money  into  the  hands  of 
the  governor,  and  also  passed  an  act,  making 
it  treason  for  any  person,  man  or  woman,  to 
speak  against  the  administration,  or  to  refuse 
going,  or  persuading  any  of  his  majesty's  sub- 
jects from  going  to  war;  and  to  subject  a  per- 
son to  a  fine  of  30  dollars  who  did  not  denounce 
a  deserter.  They  strove  hard  also  to  pass  an 
act  to  establish  the  martial  law,  but  the  bill  was 
violently  opposed  by  the  friends  of  the  people, 
particularly  by  J.  Wilcocks,  an  Irishmiui.  The 
members  of  parliament  published  an  address  to 
the  people,  in  which  they  all  promised  to  assist 
in  the  war,  both  with  their  counsel  and  arms; 

H2 


90 


iii% 


and  when  the  house  dissolved,  the  most  of  them 
took  the  field.* 

In  the  course  of  the  summer,  Brock,  who 
was  indeed  a  very  fine  man,  had  rendered  him- 
self very  dear  to  all  the  soldiers  a^  fort  George, 
and  to  the  people  in  general. 

In  this  situation  things  remaii ud,  and  the  ar- 
my increased,  till  the  invasion  of  the  province 
at  Queenston,  an  account  of  which  has  been 
laid  before  the  public.  Howe\  r,  it  may  not  be 
amiss  to  make  a  few  remarks  on  the  subject. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  13th  of  Oct- 
1812,  some  Americans  landed  on  the  bank  at 
Queenston,  unobserved;  but  were  soon  disco- 
vered, and  the  alarm  given,  at  which  time  they 
retreated  unseen  (as  it  was  yet  dark)  through 
the  village  and  to  Black  Swamp,  4  miles  back.f 

At  tlic  same  time  the  Americans  on  the  Uni- 
ted States  side  opened  their  cannon  to  the  Bri- 
lish  shore  to  keep  them  from  coming  down  to 
the  beach  to  oppose  the  invaders  then  crossing 
Vv  ith  boats.  At  the  same  time  the  cannon  from 
3  batteries  were  levelled  against  them  from 
the  British  side,  beside  the  fire  from  the  small 
arms  of  four  hundred  soldiers  which  were  sta- 
tioned there  at  that  time.  Yet  through  all  this 
opposition  the  brave  Americans  effected  a  land- 
ing, drove  the  British  back  and  took  possession 


*  If  the  members  of  Conj.jresB  would    act   thus,  it 
would  make  a  great  aheraiion  in  the  war. 

t  The  most   of  these   came  the  next   day,  and  j^avc 
themselves  up  to  the  British. 


91 


f  them 

c,  who 
d  him- 
Ireorge, 

the  ar- 
rovince 
19  been 
r  not  be 
bject. 
of  Oct. 
bank  at 
n  clisco- 
me  they 
through 

back.t 
he  Uni- 
the  Bri- 
down  to 
crossing 
on  from 
m   from 
he  small 
ere  sta- 
all  this 
a  hiiid- 
fssession 

thus,  il 
and  gaVe 


of  their  batteries  and  cannon,  which  however 
were  spiked. 

They  remained  in  peace  a  Httle  while,  when 
Brock  came,  raUied  about  three  hundred  sol- 
diers, including  Indians,  and  made  an  attempt 
to  retake  a  battery  on  the  side  of  the  slope,  close 
by  Queenston,  and  m  as  killed,  two  balls  enter- 
ing his  body;  his  aid-de-camp  fell  at  the  same 
time,  while  on  his  horse  encouraging  the  peo- 
ple. The  Americans  wee  masters  ol  the  ground 
after  that  for  four  hers,  in  which  time  many 
might  have  landed,  ti.        h  it  was  not  the  case. 
Expresses  now  wei     down  to  Fort  George, 
8  miles,  and  the  sound  was  on  the  float,  hurry 
boys,  or  else  our  dear  general  will  be  killed: 
and  others  cried  he  is  wounded,  he  is  wound- 
ed,   hurry,  hurry,   save  our  governor.    Such 
sounds  filled  every  bosom  with  martial  fire.  A 
reinforcement  of  1800  soldiers,  and  6  pieces  of 
flying  artillery  were  soon  in  marching  orders, 
under  Gen.  Sheaffe;  they  ascended   the  slope 
one  mile  and  a  half  west  of  the  American  ar- 
my,  which  was   then    on   the    heights   above 
Queenston.   When  they  came  in  sight,  they  all 
raised  the  Indian  war  whoop,  let  loose  the  can- 
non, and  rushed  on  with  great  impetuosity.  The 
Americans  seemed  panic  struck,  did  not  form 
or  fight  to  any  advantage,  but  retreated  a  small 
distance,  but  the  awful  chime  was  in  the  way: 
they  surrendered,  and  (juarters  were  given,  yet 
the  Indians  who  were  on  the  left  wing,  conti- 
nued to  kill  with  their  toniahivvks,  which  so  ex- 
asperated Gen.  Sheafic,  that  he  threw  oft'  his 


n 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

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hat  and  stuck  his  sword  in  the  ground  up  to  the 
handle,  and  declared,  that  if  every  man  did  not 
exert  himself  to  prevent  the  Indians  from  kill- 
ing the  Americans,  after  they  had  surrendered, 
he  would  give  up  the  command  and  go  home. 
The  militia  and  regulars  then,  with  much  ado, 
stopped  the  Indians  from  killing.  No  one  can 
reflect  on  this  scene  without  feeling  his  heart 
bleed  at  the  view  of  human  misery.* 

When  I  heard  the  cannon  in  the  morning,  I 
took  my  horse  and  rode  down,  and  on  the  road 
met  a  number  of  the  Massaugus  Indians  who 
had  made  their  escape;  these  Indians  are  a  very 
cowardly  tribe. 

After  this  the  British  contemplated  another 
invasion  immediately,  and  therefore  called  all 
the  militia,  from  10  to  60,  from  the  river  Credit 
round  the  head  of  Ontario  to  the  west  side  of 
the  Grand  River,  and  between  the  two  lakes, 
as  also  more  than  one  half  from  the  London  and 
Home  districts  to  Fort  George,  and  other  sta- 
tions on  the  Niagara  river  to  Fort  Erie,  which 
made  an  army  of  6000  soldiers.  This  order  was 
resisted  with  considerable  spirit,  yet  it  was  too 
late,  for  not  only  the  ofiicers  of  the  armyf  and 
the  Indians  were  engaged  to  compel  obedience, 
but  all  the  militia  that  had  been  in  the  service; 

•  The  British  published  the  number  killed  on  their 
side  to  be  30,  but  the  true  number  was  160;  chiefly  In- 
dians und  reii^ulcirs.  The  number  on  the  American  side 
was  about  260 — perhaps  more  or  less. 

t  At  this  time,  many  a  boy  thought  he  grew  a  mighty 
man  in  a  few  days. 


J 
t 


( 


hfyi 


jM 


up  to  the 
n  did  not 
from  kill- 
rendered, 
go  home, 
nuch  ado, 

0  one  can 
his  heart 

norning,  I 
►n  the  road 
idians  who 
i  are  a  very 

ted  another 
re  called  all 
iver  Credit 
vest  side  of 
t  two  lakes, 
London  and 
U  other  sta- 
ferie,  which 
|is  order  was 
t  it  was  too 

;  armyt  ^"^ 

1  obedience, 

the  service; 

killed  on  their 
leo;  chiefly  In- 
American  side 


grew 


mighty 


they  thought  it  hard  and  unreasonable  that  they 
must  bear  all  the  burden  and  dangers  of  the 
war,  therefore  a  number  of  them  were  zealous- 
ly engaged  to  bring  forward  the  disobedient, 
although  their  neighbors  and  relations.  An 
example  of  this  sort  may  be  named:  about  12 
days  after  the  battle,  a  Col.  Graham,  on  Yonge- 
street,  ordered  his  regiment  to  meet,  in  order 
to  draft  a  number  to  send  to  fort  George:  how- 
ever, about  40  did  not  appear,  but  went  out  into 
Whitechurch  township,  nearly  a  wilderness, 
and  there  joined  about  30  more,  who  had  fied 
from  different  places.  When  the  regiment  met, 
there  were  present  some  who  had  liberty  of  ab^ 
sence  a  few  days  from  fort  George,  these  with 
others  volunteered  their  services  to  Col.  Gra- 
ham, to  the  number  of  160,  to  go  and  fetch 
them  in,  to  which  the  Colonel  agreed,  bu^  or- 
dered them  to  take  no  arms;  btit  when  they 
found  they  must  not  take  arms,  they  would  not 
go.  At  the  first  of  December  they  had  increas- 
ed to  about  300:  about  which  time,  as  I  was  on 
my  way  to  Kingston  to  obtain  a  passport  to 
leave  the  province,  I  saw  about  50  of  them 
near  Smith's  creek,  in  Newcastle  district,  on 
the  main  road,  with  fife  and  drum,  beating  for 
volunteers,  crying  huzza  for  Madison. 

None  of  the  people  in  this  district  bore  arms 
at  that  time,  except  \2  at  Piesquile  h;irbor. 
'I'hey  were  universally  in  favour  of  the  United 
States,  and  if  ever  another  army  is  landed  in 
Canada,  this  would  be  the  best  place,  which  would 
be  100  miles  from  anv  British  force,  and  before 


ym 


94 


one  could  march  there,  many  of  the  Canada 
militia  would  desert,  especially  if  the  American 
army  was  large,  say  50,000.  But  whenever 
the  Americans  attempt  to  land  where  there  is 
an  army,  that  army  will  fight  till  they  are  near- 
ly a!!  destroyed,  for  they  dare  not  rebel,  not 
having  now  any  faith  in  any  offers  of  protec- 
tion in  a  rebellion,  as  they  have  been  deceived. 
Indeed  many  of  the  militia  are  considerably 
exasperated  against  the  invaders,  for  they  think 
that  it  is  hard  that  they  should  feel  the  misery 
of  war  who  have  no  agency  in  the  councils  of 
England,  and  know  that  the  United  States  gov- 
ernment cannot  force  any  man  over  the  line, 
of  course  those  that  come,  they  view  as  coming 
of  their  own  choice,  and  as  being  void  of  justice 
and  humanity,  and  therefore  deserve  to  be  killed 
for  their  intrusion. 

In  August,  the  inhabitants  were  called  toge- 
ther, in  order  that  all  who  had  not  taken  the 
oath  of  allegiance  might  take  it  without  excep- 
tion. However,  some  refused,  some  were  put 
in  cells,  and  others  were  not  dealt  so  hard  with. 
Many  took  the  oath  rather  than  suffer  thus. 

Sometime  in  the  month  of  November,  the 
Americans  became  masters  of  lake  Ontario, 
which  was  very  grievous  to  the  British.  About 
the  same  tirr  the  governor  issued  a  proclama- 
lion  orderi.  all  the  citizens  of  the  United 
States,  residing  in  the  province  of  Upper  Cana- 
da, who  had  refused  to  take  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance, to  leave  the  province  by  applying  at 
certain  boards  of  inspection  appointed  to  exam 


95 


Canada 
merican 
hencvtr 

there  is 
ire  near- 
ibel,  not 
f  protec- 
ieceived. 
isiderably 

hey  ib""^^ 
tie  misery 
ouncils  oC 
.tates  gov- 
r  the  line, 
as  coming 
i  of  justice 
to  be  killed 

:alled  toge- 
taken  the 
put  excep- 
iQ  were  put 
hard  with, 
jr  thus, 
[ember,  the 
re  Ontario, 
fish.   About 
[a  proclama- 
Ithe   United 
JpperCana- 
3ath  of  alle- 
applying  at 
ted  to  exam 


ine  into  the  claims  of  those  who  asked  that  pri- 

receive  passports. 


viltge;  and  all  who  did  not  so 
and  leave  the  province  by  the  first  of  January, 
1813,  and  still  refused  to  take  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance, should  be  considered  as  alien  enemies 
and  spies,  and  be  dealt  with  accordingly.  This 
proclamation  was  of  short  duration  and  but  lit- 
tle circulated;  of  course,  but  few  received  ihe 
benefit  which  they  ought  to  have  had,  according 
to  Jay's  treaty. 

The  victories  that  the  British  obtained  over 
Hull  at  Detroit,  and  Van  Rensselaer  at  Queens- 
ton,   were   very  encouraging  to  the   different 
tribes  of  Indians  to  engage  with  them  in  the 
war.  At  the  commencement  of  the  contest,  the 
most  of  the  Indians  refused  to  take  any  part  in 
the  war,  alleging  that  the  Americans  were  too 
numerous;    but  they   were   then  told  that  al- 
though they  were  numerous,  but  few  would 
come  over,  as  the  government  could  not  com- 
pel them;  and  that  if  they  did  not  fight  they 
would  lose  their  land.  Some  of  the  white  peo- 
ple were  also  led  to  believe,  that  they  would  be 
deprived  of  their  land  and  other  property.  lu 
the  course  of  the  summer,  on  the  line  between 
fort  George  and  fort  Erie,  there  were  not  more 
than   1000   Indians   under  arms  at  one  time. 
These  Indians  go  to  and  fro  as  they  please,  to 
the  country  and  back,  and  are  very  troublesome 
to  the  women  when  their  husbands  are  gone, 
as  they   plunder  and   take  what  they  please, 
and  often  beat  the  women,  to  for*.e  them  to 
give  them  vvhiskev,  even  when  thev  arc  not  ir\ 


■  "1  I 


]r.-i 


■,i 


•  ,1 


96 


i 


possession  of  any;  and  when  they  sec  any  man 
that  has  not  gone  to  the  lines,  they  call  him  a 
Yankee,  and  threaten  to  kill  him  for  not  going 
to  fight;  and  indeed  in  some  instances,  llieir 
threats  have  been  put  in  execution.  They  act 
with  great  authority  and  rage,  since  they  have 
stained  their  hands  with  human  blood. 

'J  he  inhabitants  at  large  would  be  extrenu  ly 
glad  to  get  out  of  their  present  miserable  s\iua- 
tioii,  at  almost  any  rate;  but  they  dare  not  ven- 
ture a  rebellion,  without  being  sure  of  protec- 
tion. And  as  they  now  do  not  expect  that  ihc 
American  government  will  ever  send  in  a  buffi- 
ciently  large  army  to  afford  them  a  security, 
should  they  rebel,  they  feel  it  their  duty  to  kill 
all  they  can  while  they  are  coming  over,  that 
they  may  discourage  any  more  from  invading 
the  province,  that  the  government  may  give  up 
the  idea  of  conquering  it,  and  withdraw  their 
forces,  that  they  may  go  home  also;  for  they 
are  greatly  distressed  in  leaving  their  families 
so  long,  many  of  whom  are  in  a  suffering  con- 
dition. 

Ever  since  the  commencement  of  the  war, 
there  has  been  no  collection  of  debts  by  law,  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  province,  and  towards  the 
fall  in  no  part;  nor  would  one  pay  another.  No 
person  can  get  credit  from  any  one  to  the 
amount  of  one  dollar;  nor  can  any  one  sell  any 
of  their  property  for  any  price,  except  provision 
or  clothing;  for  those  who  have  money,  are  de- 
termined to  keep  it  for  the  last  resort.  No  bu- 


i  i!!tly 


my  mail 
ill  him  a 
01  going 
es,  ll^ir 
rhey  act 
hey  have 

•xtrenuly 
ible  b\iua- 
:  not  veil, 
if  protec- 
t  that  ^hc 
in  a  buffi- 
i  security, 
iuty  to  kill 

over,  that 
n  invading 
lay  give  up 
idraw  their 
);  for  they 
:ir  families 

:ering  con- 

of  the  war, 
s  by  law,  in 
towards  the 
jnother.  No 
one  to  the 
»ne  sell  any 
Ipt  provision 

]nev,are  de- 
,rt'.  No  bu- 


97 

siness  is  carried  on  by  any  person,  except  what 
is  absolutely  necessary  for  the  time. 

In  the  upper  part  of  the  province,  all  the 
schools  are  broken  up,  and  no  preaching  is  heard 
in  all  the  land.  AU  is  gloomy—  all  is  war  and 
misery. 

Upon  the  declaration  of  war,  the  governor 
laid  an  embargo  on  all  the  flour,  wheat,  and 
pork  then  in  the  province,  destined  for  market, 
which  was  at  a  time  when  very  little  had  left 
the  province.  The  next  harvest  was  truly 
bountiful,  as  also  the  crops  of  corn,  buckwheat 
and  peas;  the  most  of  which  were  gathered, 
except  the  buckwheat,  which  was  on  the  ground 
when  all  the  people  were  called  away  after  the 
battle  of  Queenston;  so  that  the  people  have 
a  plenty  of  provision  as  yet  (April,  1813).  But, 
should  the  war  continue,  they  must  suft'er,  as 
not  more  than  one  half  of  the  farmers,  especial- 
ly of  the  upper  part  of  Canada,  sowed  any  win- 
ter grain,  because  when  they  ought  to  have 
done  it,  they  were  called  away  to  the  lines. 
Although  I  say  that  the  people  in  general  have 
grain  enough,  yet  some  women  are  now  suffer- 
ing for  bread,  as  their  husbands  are  on  the  lines, 
and  they  and  their  children  have  no  money  nor 
credit,  nor  can  they  get  any  work  to  do. 

As  soon  as  the  snow  fell  in  Canada,  and  thp 
sleighing  became  good,  (which  was  in  the  last 
of  November)  the  British  exerted  themselves 
to  the  utmost  to  provide  for  the  support  of  the 
war.  A  large  price  was  offered  for  flour  and 
pork,  particularly  near  the  line  of  the  lower 

I 


■■*;| 


98 


m 


part  of  the  State  of  New- York,  on  the  St.  Law- 
rence, and  near  the  line  of  Vermont  and  K  c w- 
Hampshire,  in  order  to  get  a  large  supply  for 
another  year,  and  to  induce  the  citizens  of  the 
United  States  to  transgress  the  laws;  and  it 
appears  that  some,  by  the  love  of  money,  were 
prevailed  upon  to  do  it. 

In  the  months  of  December  and  January, 
some  hundreds  of  sleighs  were  almost  constantly 
on  the  road  from  Montreal  and  other  places  in 
the  lower  province,  carrying  provisions  and 
military  stores  to  Kingston,  York,  Niagara, 
and  other  parts  in  the  upper  province.  But 
where  all  these  provisions  came  from  I  am  not 
able  to  say. 

About  this  time  in  December,  the  British  also 
were  making  preparations  to  assemble  a  large 
force  at  Kingston,  in  order  to  cross  the  lower 
end  of  lake  Ontario  on  the  ice,  and  if  possible 
to  destroy  the  American  vessels  laying  at  Sack- 
ett's  Harbor,  which  they  considered  as  power- 
ful and  dangerous:  and  to  effect  this  they  were 
determined  to  lay  out  all  their  strength,  or  all 
that  they  possibly  could  spare, for  that  business.* 

♦  Some  time  in  February,  information  reached  the 
United  States  that  the  governor  of  the  lower  province 
had  arrived  at  Kingston  with  5000  troops,  which  together 
with  what  was  stationed  there,  and  with  what  might  be 
collected  of  the  militia  round  about,  would  make  an  ar- 
my of  7000  strong;  and  1  have  wondered  why  they  did 
not  make  an  attempt  while  the  ice  was  strong;  but  as  it 
was  not  done,  1  am  inclined  to  believe  that  the  miliiia 
would  not  go  over  for  that  purpose,  as  the  law  does  not 
oblige  them. — It  appears  that  the  information  respecting 
this  note  was  not  correct  with  regard  to  5000, 


99 


5t.  Law- 
id  Kcw- 
ipply  for 
IS  of  the 
s;  and  it 
ley,  were 

January, 
onstantly 

places  in 
sions  and 

Niagara, 
ince.  But 

I  am  not 

irilish  also 

)le  a  large 

the  lower 

f  possible 

g  at  Sack- 

as  power- 

they  were 

gth,  or  all 

business.* 

reached  the 
fcv  province 
lich  together 
lal  might  be 
make  an  ar- 
ivhy  they  did 
)ng;  but  as  it 
t  the  miliiia 
law  does  not 
)n  respecting 
00, 


In  the  month  of  December  about  120  ship 
Carpenters  came  from  the  lower  province  to 
Kingston  and  York,  in  order  to  build  7  vessels 
on  lake  Ontario.  The  government  expected  to 
have  them  finished  by  the  time  the  ice  was  out 
of  the  lake,  which  7,  with  4  that  were  then 
nearly  lit  for  use,  would  make  a  fleet  of  11  sail, 
which  it  was  thought  would  be  sufficient  to 
regain  possession  of  lake  Ontario.  However,  I 
am  fully  of  opinion  that  the  British  will  not  be 
able  to  finish  more  than  3  before  the  ice  leaves 
the  lake. 

Some  little  time  before  Hull  invaded  the  pro- 
vince, there  was  an  armistice  entered  into  by 
the  commanders  of  the  armies  on  both  sides  of 
the  line,  at  which  time  a  number  of  militia 
were  permitted  to  go  home,  and  which  was  a 
joyful  thing  to  them.  When  this  armistice  was 
made  known  to  Mr.  Madison  he  refused  to 
agree  to  it,  and  when  notice  was  given  of  his 
refusal  to  the  governor  of  Canada,  all  the  mili- 
tia were  called  back.  Some  time  btfore  the 
battle  of  Queenston,  there  was  another  armis- 
tice agreed  upon  for  an  unlim'^od  time,  but  the 
conditions  were  such,  that  if  cither  party  wished 
to  commence  hostilities,  that  party  should  give 
the  other  4  days  notice.  Immediately  upon 
this  agreement,  almost  all  the  militia  were 
permitted  to  go  home,  and  about  half  of 
them  had  got  some  miles  upon  the  road,  and 
some  that  lived  nigh  to  the  line  had  got  once 
more  to  the  bosom  of  their  families,  with  the 
sweet  hope  of  never  again  returning  to  the 


place  of  tlanger  and  death.  But  oh,  hard  fate! 
notice  was  sent  from  the  American  side  that 
the  armistice  must  end  in  4  days;  of  course,  all 
^he  militia  that  had  got  home,  or  on  their  way, 
were  called  back  again,  and  with  a  heavy  heart 
many  a  man  parted  with  the  wife  of  his  bosom, 
and  children  of  his  love,  for  the  last  time. 

The  Indians  are  forbid  by  the  British  govern- 
ment from  crossing  the  lines  at  any  time  or  place, 
and  are  watched  and  guarded  for  fear  they  will; 
for  the  British  know  that  if  the  Indians  were 
pc  rmitted  to  cross  and  commit  depredations  on 
the  United  States'  side,  that  it  would  unite  all 
the  people  against  them. 

The  Indians  took  a  number  of  scalps  at  the 
battle  of  Brownstown;  I  asked  some  who  stop- 
ped at  my  house,  if  the  governor  gave  them 
money  for  them,  they  told  me  not:  but  they 
said  they  took  them  to  show  the  governor  how 
many  they  killed.  They  said  they  wished  that 
the  governor  would  give  them  money  for 
scalps. 

I  was  told  when  they  took  these  scalps  down 
to  Fort  George,  the  Governor  and  Col.  Claus 
reproved  them  for  their  conduct,  and  told  them 
to  take  no  more  scalps  at  any  time  or  place. 

In  making  these  remarks  I  do  not  wish  to 
be  understood  that  I  believe  the  British  govern- 
ment is  too  good  to  wish  or  permit  the  Indians 
to  kill  and  scalp  any  that  lies  in  their  power.  I 
do  not  pretend  to  say  or  judge  how  this  is, 
but  I  was  led  to  believe  that  they  did  not  en- 
courage the  Indians  to  take  scalps,  or  else  they 


I 


101 


ird  fatel 
ide  that 
urse,  all 
eir  way, 
vy  heart 
bosom, 
Tie. 

govern- 
or place, 
hey  will; 
ms  were 
ations  on 
unite  all 

ps  at  the 
/ho  stop- 
ive  them 
Dut  they 
nor  how 
hed  that 
>ney  for 

Ips  down 
d1.  Claus 
old  them 
place, 
t  wish  to 
govern- 
i  Indians 
DOwer.  1 
V  this  is, 
i  not  en- 
else  they 


kept  the  thing  very  secret.  However,  I  do  not 
pretend  to  determine. 

The  inhabitants  in  general  feel  as  if  they 
were  fighting  against  their  own  fathers,  brothers, 
and  sons,  which  in  many  instances  is  actually 
the  case.  In  the  first  of  the  war  the  people  of 
Canada  seemed  panic  struck;  they  ceased  from 
all  business,  they  even  neglected  to  prepare  or 
eat  food,  until  hunger  compelled  them  to  it. 
However,  after  a  while  they  began  to  do  a  little 
work,  yet  only  what  was  needful  at  the  present 
time. 

The  opinion  of  many  in  Canada  now  is  that 
the  province  ought  now  to  be  conquered  for  the 
good  of  the  inhabitants  on  both  sides,  for  many 
in  Canada  since  the  war,  on  the  British  side, 
have  showed  themselves  strong  friends  to  the 
United  States,  and  arc  marked  by  the  British 
government  as  objects  of  revenge  on  that  ac- 
count. Here  there  has  been  a  considerable 
number  of  Indians  killed  by  the  Americans, 
which  has  so  exasperated  those  now  alive,  that 
should  there  be  a  treaty  made,  and  those  In- 
dians allowed  as  much  liberty  as  they  now 
have,  they  would  continually  be  crossing  the 
line  and  committing  murders  on  the  inhabitants 
of  the  frontiers  to  revenge  the  loss  of  their  kin- 
dred. And  also  because  there  has  a  number  of 
Americans  left  the  province  since  the  war,  ei- 
ther by  permission  or  without,  and  a  number  of 
these  have  land  and  other  property  there  which 
they  never  can  obtain  again,  except  the  pro- 
vince is  conquered:  for  it  must  be  noticed  that 

2  I 


102 


1*' 


all  the  land  in  Canada  has  been  given  to  the  first 
settlers  by  the  king,  and  it  is  specified  in  every 
original  deed,  which  is  a  deed  of  gift,  that  no 
person  can  hold  it  by  transferment  more  than 
one  year,  except  they  take  the  oath  of  allegiance 
to  his  majesty.  Now,  although  this  is  the  law 
and  it  is  so  specified  in  every  original  deed,  yet 
very  few  people  knew  it  to  be  the  case  that 
went  from  the  United  States  and  bought  land, 
of  course  many  have  lived  there  on  their  land 
a  number  of  years  without  taking  the  oath,  and 
as  many  of  such  have  come  away  rather  than 
take  the  oath,  of  course  their  lands,  according 
to  law,  will  fall  back  to  the  king. 

After  the  battle  of  Queenston,  the  British 
continued  to  augment  their  forces  on  the  line 
between  forts  George  and  Erie. 

About  the  20th  of  Oct.  was  the  usual  time 
for  a  number  of  Indians  from  lake  Simcoe,  prin- 
cipally of  the  MaL>sasugas  tribe,  to  assemble  at 
York,  (about  120C  in  number)  in  order  to  hold 
their  fall  council,  and  receive  their  gifts. 

Gen.  SheafFe  met  them  there;  and  after  thev 
had  received  their  gifts,  proposed  to  the  war- 
riors to  go  to  fort  George  and  engage  in  the 
war.  However  they  declined  going,  as  their 
squaws  were  with  them. 

The  general  then  gave  them  a  very  large  ox 
and  two  barrels  of  whiskey,  upon  which  they 
had  a  merry  feast  and  a  war-dance;  at  the  same 
time  they  declared  war  against  the  United 
States  in  a  formal  manner.  In  moving  in  a  cir- 
cuitous form,  whenever  they  came  towards  the 


103 


the  first 
in  every 
that  no 
ore  than 
legiance 
,  the  law 
leed,  yet 
jase  that 
ght  land, 
leir  land 
oath,  and 
ther  than 
iccording 

te  British 
I  the  line 

sual  time 
coe,  prin-  - 
semble  at 
er  to  hold 
its. 

after  they 
the  war- 
ige  in  the 
,  as  their 

|y  large  ox 
'hich  they 
It  the  same 
le  United 
[g  in  a  cir- 
)wards  the 


United  States,  they  held  up  their  hatchet,  gave 
a  strike  in  the  air  and  a  yell. 

This  was  about  3  o'clock,  and  by  5,  about 
350  embarked  and  as  many  more  riflemen  with 
the  general  for  fort  George,  and  the  old  Indians 
and  squaws  returned  to  lake  Simcoe. 

The  garrison  at  York  was  then  almost  desti- 
tute of  soldiers,  but  in  a  little  time  the  militia 
to  a  considerable  amount  were  called  in. 

About  this  time,  or  a  little  after,  the  Ameri- 
cans came  on  shore  18  miles  above  Kingston, 
and  burnt  a  vessel  belonging  to  Mr.  Fairfield, 
and  took  another  on  the  lake. 

Things  remained  in  this  situation  till  about 
the  20th  of  Nov.  when  Gen.  Chandler  invaded 
Canada,  about  50  miles  from  Montreal,  with 
300  soldiers.  It  appears  that  in  destroying  an 
old  fortification  some  of  the  men  were  killed. 

On  the  27th  of  Nov.  Gen.  Smyth  made  an^ 
attempt  to  cross  from  Black  Rock  into  Canada 
(river  I  mile  wide);  he  first  sent  300  soldiers  and 
sailors  under  Capt.  King:  they  stormed  3  bat. 
teries,  and  spiked  the  cannon  with  the  loss  of  40. 

About  10  o'clock  the  same  dav,  some  sol- 
diers  went  over,  burnt  some  houses  and  brought 
away  considerable  plunder. 

After  Gen.  Smyth  had  embarked  the  troops 
twice  he  gave  over  the  project,  and  for  which 
he  has  been  severely  censured  by  many;  but 
upon  the  whole,  perhaps  it  was  best,  as  at  that 
time  he  was  not  able  to  take  over  with  him' 
more  than  2500  soldiers,  which  was  not  enough, 
as  the  British  had  at  that  time  6000  soldiers 


'•1.1 


I 


i04 


on  the  line  between  forts  George  and  Erie,  a 
distance  of  34  miles  only. 

As  Smyth  and  his  army  were  seen  by  the 
British  coming  over  and  twice  returning  back, 
it  was  confidently  reported  and  generally  be- 
lieved, that  the  American  army  had  mutinized. 

This  very  much  encouraged  the  inhabitants, 
judging  from  hence  that  the  soldiers  would  not 
come  over  at  all;  knowing  also  that  many  had 
refused  so  to  do  at  the  time  of  the  battle  of 
Queenston. 

After  this,  as  the  winter  was  coming  on,  the 
British  calculated  that  they  should  not  be  inva- 
ded again,  ^x  least  till  the  ice  of  the  river  became 
strong:  the  Col.  of  each  regiment  therefore  per- 
mitted the  principal  part  of  the  militia  to  go 
home. 

Thefolloxving  remarks  respecting  the  progress 
of  the  xvar,  are  made  from  information  received 
from  the  public  papers  and  other  sources^  and 
from  my  knowledge  of  the  province  and  adjacent 
parts,  in  which  the  operations  of  the  war  have 
been  continued  to  this  date,  and  from  my  know- 
ledge of  the  British  officers,  ^c. — for  on  the  29th 
of  Dec,  I  crossed  the  line  at  Ogdensburgh, 

It  appears  that  from  the  time  of  the  partial 
invasion  of  Gen.  Smyth,  that  there  was  nothing 
of  note  done  till  the  defeat  of  a  part  of  the  north 
western  army,  under  the  command  of  Gen. 
Winchester,  on  the  22d  of  January,  1813,  near 
the  rapids  of  the  Miami,  which  is  about  65 
miles  south  of  Detroit. 


105 


L.rie,  a 

by  the 
r  back, 
illy  be- 
inized. 
bitants, 
►uld  not 
iny  had 
>attle  of 

J  on, the 
be  inva- 
•  became 
fore  per- 
ia  to  go 

progress 
received 
'cesy  and 
adjacent 
Jar  have 
ny  know- 
)  the  '29th 
\rgh. 

le  partial 

[S  nothing 

the  north 

of  Gen. 

1813,  near 

about  65 


Winchester's  army  was  about  1000  strong, 
and  was  attacked  by  nearly  double  that  num- 
ber of  British  and  Indians,  and  as  the  battle  was 
obstinately  contested,  nearly  400  Americans 
were  killed,  the  rest  were  made  prisoners,  about 
600.  All  the  militia  taken  were  paroled  and 
sent  home,  not  to  fight  in  the  war  again. 

About  the  12th  of  Feb.  Capt.  Forsyth,  com- 
manding a  company  of  U.  S.  troops  (riflemen) 
at  Ogdensburgh,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Oswegat- 
chie  river,  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  70  miles  below 
Sackett's  harbor,  marched  with  200  men  up  the 
river  1 2  miles,  and  crossed  over  to  Canada  to  a 
little  village  (Brockville)  on  the  banks  of  the  ri- 
ver, where  the  British  kept  a  garrison  of  about 
60  soldiers,  which  he  took  with  some  military 
stores,  without  loss. 

This  so  exasperated  the  British,  that  they 
collected  a  force  of  about  1200,  about  the  20th 
of  the  same  month,  chiefly  militia,  and  crossed 
the  river  from  Pretcott  (2  miles)  effected  a  land- 
ing in  spite  of  Forsyth  and  his  riflemen — drove 
them  9  miles  to  Black  Lake,  with  considerable 
loss  on  both  sides. 

They  burnt  all  the  buildings  of  the  garrison 
at  that  place,  which  however  was  of  little  va- 
lue, as  they  were  at  least  100  years  old,  having 
been  built  t"  the  French,  and  were  badly  situ- 
ated. The  British  also  carried  off*  much  milita- 
ry stores. 

On  the  24thor  the  25th  of  April,  Com.  Chaun- 
cey  with  about  16  sail  of  vessels,  and  general 
Dearborn  with  about  2000  soldiers  and  sailors^ 


106 


^' 


\! 


left  Sackett's  harbor,  for  York,  on  the  British 
side  of  lake  Ontario,  distant  190  miles,  and  ar- 
rived there  on  the  morning  of  the  27th  at  7 
o'clock. 

The  American  army  began  to  land  in  boats 
about  8  o'clock,  one  mile  up  the  lake  from  the 
fort,  and  two  from  the  town,  or  west  of  the 
town  and  fort.  At  this  place  the  banks  arc 
high  and  the  woods  thick.  They  were  met 
by  the  British  force,  Indians,  a  few  regulars 
and  militia  under  Gen.  Sheaffe,  in  number 
about  800  strong.  In  about  2  hours,  in  spite 
of  the  British,  1500  or  1600  landed  under  the 
command  of  Gen.  Pike;  the  British  then  re- 
treated  towards  the  fort,  while  the  Americans 
pursued  them,  and  when  within  about  300  yards 
of  it,  a  tremendous  explosion  took  place,  of 
powder  and  combustibles  that  had  been  conceal- 
ed under  ground,  and  which  spread  death  and 
destruction  among  the  American  army  and 
British  also. 

The  number  of  killed  by  this  explosion  is  not 
yet  fully  ascertained;  G(  n.  Dearborn  thinks  it 
is  more  than  100,  among  which  was  Gen.  Pike. 
About  300  was  lost  in  all. 

After  this  explosion  the  command  fell  upon 
Col.  Pierce,  who  soon  took  possession  of  the 
fort,  which  the  British  left,  as  Com.  Cliauncey 
had  got  some  of  his  fleet  within  600  yards  of 
the  fort,  and  was  firuig  upon  it.  The  British 
moved  dovvn  to  the  town,  (1  mile)  after  having 
set  fire  to  some  of  the  public  stores,  and  1  ves- 
sel nearly  finished.    Gen.  SheafFe  moved  off 


107 


British 
and  ar- 
^th  at  7 

in  boats 
from  the 
it  of  the 
inks  arc 
ere   met 

regulars 

number 
,  in  spite 
under  the 

then  re- 
Americans 
300  yards 
1  place,  of 
n  conccal- 
death  and 
army  and 

sion  is  not 
thinks  it 
Ijen.  Pike. 

fell  upon 
[ion  of  the 

Cliauncey 
lo  yards  of 
The  British 
[fter  having 

and  1  ves- 

moved  off 


with  what  regular  troops  were  left,  towards 
Kingston,  and  left  orders  with  the  commanding 
officer  of  the  militia  (G.  S.  Mitchell)  to  make 
the  beot  terms  he  could. 

About  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  Ameri- 
can flag  was  hoisted,  and  by  3,  all  was  peace, 
and  a  capitulation  was  agreed  upon:  all  the 
militia  were  paroled,  about  400,  and  all  the 
naval  and  military  stores  were  given  up. 

On  the  first  of  Ma^  the  troops  were  embark- 
ed, but  owing  to  contrary  winds,  did  not  leave 
York  till  the  8th,  but  the  same  evening  they 
reached  the  4  mile  creek,  a  little  below  fort 
Niagara,  and  unladed  some  of  the  stores. 

On  the  next  Sunday  evening  two  vessels 
sailed  for  the  head  of  the  lake  to  get  some 
British  stores,  which  they  effected  without  loss, 
and  returned  on  Tuesday. 

On  the  13th,  Com.  Chauncey  arrived  at 
Sackett's  harbor,  where  Gen.  Pike  was  inter- 
red with  the  honors  of  war. 

On  the  1st,  2d  and  3d  of  May,  the  British 
forces  of  regulars  and  militia,  imder  Gen.  Proc- 
tor, and  Indiani,  under  Tecumseh,  in  all  about 
3000  strong,  attacked  Gen.  Harrison  in  fort 
Meigs.  On  the  4th  or  5th,  about  9  o'clock 
Gen.  Clay  arrived  with  800  Kentucky  volun- 
teers, in  boats  up  the  Miami — landed  and  made 
a  heroic  push  upon  the  British  and  Indians,  then 
fighting  before  fort  Meigs — they  were  drove  off 
and  the  cannon  spiked.  However  they  neglect- 
ed  to  go  into  the  fort,  or  back  to  the  boats — 
were  drawn  some  distance  into  the  woods  by 


»« 


I- 


i 


108 


I 


skirmishes  with  the  Indians:  they  were  sur- 
rounded by  the  British,  and  650  fell  into  their 
hands,  dead  or  alive,  though  chiefly  alive. 

After  this  the  Americans  obtained  some  small 
advantages  over  the  British,  who  on  the  9th  of 
April  raised  the  siege  and  returned;  after  which 
Gen.  Harrison  left  the  command  of  the  fort  to 
Gen.  Clay,  and  went  to  the  south. 

On  the  27th  of  May,*  Gen.  Dearborn,  Lewis 
and  others,  embarked  with  Com.  Chauncey  on 
board  the  fleet,  at  fort  Niagara,  to  the  number 
of  about  4000  strong.  They  landed  about  2 
miles  from  fort  George,  up  the  lake,  near  the 
light- house:  the  vessels  anchored  within  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  of  the  shore:  with  boats  the  army 
was  landed  by  the  assistance  of  the  cannon 
from  the  fleet,  in  spite  of  the  opposition  of  about 
3000  British  forces,  with  some  flying  artillery, 
under  Gen.  Vincent.  After  about  a  half  an 
hour  hard  fightint?,  the  British  retreated  towards 
fort  George,  which  was  much  injured  from  the 
firing  of  two  vessels  in  the  mouth  of  the  river, 
and  some  batteries  on  the  east  side.  The  Bri- 
tish did  not  go  in,  but  gave  orders  to  blow  it 
up;  and  the  cannon  of  all  the  batteries  on  the 
line,  from  fort  George  to  Erie,  were  opened 
upon  the  American  shore,  which  continued  all 
night,  and  in  the  morning  were  bursted,  and 
all  the  places  were  evacuated,  after  much  de- 
struction of  barracks  and  public  stores. 


*  Just  30  days  after  the  capture  of  York.- 


109 


vcre  sur- 
into  their 
live. 

Dme  small 
the  9th  of 
fter  which 
:he  fort  to 

irn,  Lewis 
luncey  on 
e  number 
1  about  2 
,  near  the 
lin  a  quar- 
i  the  army 
le  cannon 
n of about 
<;  artillery, 
a  half  an 
td  towards 
1  from  the 
the  river, 
The  Bri- 
to  blow  it 
ies  on  the 
e  opened 
itinued  all 
rsted,  and 
much  de- 
cs. 

ork." 


The  British  continued  their  retreat  to  the  west 
of  fort  George,  on  a  road  which  leads  through 
black  swamp,  which  connects  it  \\  ith  the  main  road 
to  40  mile  creek,  10  miles  from  fort  George. 

On  the  next  day,  the  whole  British  force  from 
the  Niagara  river,  met  at  40  mile  creek,  31  miles 
from  Niagara,  where  they  made  a  stand. 

In  a  little  time  the  American  army  entered  fort 
George  and  hoisted  the  flag. 

The  next  evening.  Col.  Preston  crossed  ova: 
from  Black  Rock,  and  took  possession  of  fort 
Erie  ;  at  the  same  time  he  published  an  address  to 
the  people,  inviting  them  to  come  and  enrol  their 
names  with  him  and  claim  the  protection  of  the 
United  States  ;  at  the  same  time  warning  them  that 
if  they  did  not,  they  should  be  dealt  with  in  a  ri- 
gorous manner.  It  does  not  appear  that  any  of 
them  came.  After  he  had  been  there  a  short  time, 
he  destroyed  the  fort  and  went  to  fort  George. 

The  number  of  killed  in  this  action  at  fort 
George,  must  be  considerable  on  both  sides, 
though  it  is  not  yet  known. 

It  appears  that  in  3  days  after,  on  the  31st,  that 
Com.  Chauncey  sailed  with  his  fleet,  for  Sackett's 
harbour  with  C/en.  Lewis,  and  that  Gen.  Bovd  took 
the  command  under  Gen.  Dearborn.        -    •    ♦« 

On  the  1st  of  June,  Gen.  Winder  widi  2000 
troops  left  fort  George  in  pursuit  of  the  Britisli, 
who  had  made  a  stand  at  die  40  mile  creek. 

On  the  4th,  Gen.  Chandler,  with  2000  more, 
marched  to  join  Gen.  Winder.  On  the  approach  of 
Winder  the  British  retreated  18  miles,  to  the  head 
of  Burlington  Bay,  where  they  threw  up  entrench- 


i'-i 
■  I' 


110 


lil» ' 


ments.  Part  of  the  American  aiTtiy  proceeded  10 
miles  farther,  to  the  50  mile  creek,  and  encamped 
on  Saturday  night,  the  5th.  On  Sunday  morning 
before  light  it  was  very  dark.  About  500  regulars 
under  Gen,  Vincent,  and  some  Indians  under  the 
chief  Norton,  unperceived  broke  into  the  American 
camp,  took  possession  of  7  pieces  of  cannon,  which 
they  turned  against  their  foes — the  confusion  was 
great — general  Winder  and  Chandler  xvere  talcen 
prisoners,  and  many  more — five  pieces  of  cannon 
were  tak^n.  The  Americans  fought  well — the 
British  retired,  leaving  150  behind  them  :  however 
they  were  not  pursued. 

The  same  da>^  Gen.  Dearborn  sent  orders  for  the 
American  aimy  to  return  to  fort  George,  as  he  had 
seen  several  British  vessels  sa'l  for  the  head  of  the 
lake,  which  he  supposed  intended  to  land  reinforce- 
ments, which  was  done.  At  the  same  time  sir 
James  Yeo  appeared  with  his  fleet  off  the  40  mile 
creek,  and  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  Ameri- 
can army,  stating  that  it  must  of  necessity  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  British. 

■  The  American  army  tlien  returned  to  fort 
George,  having  lost  a  considerable  number,  being 
taken  prisoners  by  the  Indians  and  militia,  who 
hung  on  the  skirts  of  the  army,  nearly  throughout 
their  march. 

On  the  next  day  all  the  British  army  returned  to 
the  40  mile  creek.  At  the  same  time  the  British 
took  12  boats  on  their  return  to  fort  George,  with 
the  baggage  of  the  officers.* 

*  About  this  time  the  British  captured  2  schooners  on 
iakt!  Cbamulain. 


Ill 


ceecled  10 

encamped 

Y  morning 

>0  regulars 

under  the 

American 

ion,  which 

fusion  was 

vere  talc  en 

of  cannon 

well — the 

I :  howe\'er 

ders  for  the 

;,  as  he  had 

head  of  the 

tl  reinforce- 

e  time  sir 

le  40  mile 

he  Ameri- 

ity  fall  into 

to    fort 
iber,  being 
ilitia,  who 
hroughout 

returned  to 
the  British 
lorge,  with 


schooners  on 


On  dic  29th  of  May,  (2  days  after  Gen.  Dearborn 
landed  at  Niagara)  6  British  vessels  and  30  boats 
appeared  before  Sackett's  harbour,  from  which 
nearly  1200  men  effected  a  landing,  a  little  above 
the  harbour.  They  drove  the  Americans  back 
nearly  a  mile,  with  considerable  loss :  however  they 
^vere  obliged  to  retreat  to  their  vessels  imd  leave 
many  behind. 

As  the  victory  ^vas  doubtful  for  some  time,  the 
Americans  set  lire  to  all  the  military  stores  hi  that 
place,  among  which  was  some  taken  at  York. 

The  British  were  commanded  by  Gen.  Sheaffe, 
and  the  fleet  by  Yeo :  the  Americans  by  Gen. 
Brown,  of  the  militia,  col.  Mills  and  Col.  Backus 
were  killed  early  in  the  action. 

On  the  12th  of  June,  15  days  after  Dearborn  had 
landed  at  Niagara  in  Canada,  the  British  fleet  of  7 
sail  of  large  and  small  vessels,  captured  2  schooners 
and  some  boats  near  the  18  mile  creek,  12  miles 
east  of  Niagara,  on  the  United  States  shore  of  the 
lake.  They  were  laden  with  hospital  stores  for 
the  army. 

On  the  15th,  some  soldiers  landed  from  the  fleet, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Genesee  river,  and  took  ofl:' 
from  the  village  of  Charlotteville,  500  barrels  of 
flour  and  pork,  and  a  large  boat  loaded  widi  1200 
bushels  of  corn,  destined  for  the  army  at  Nia- 
gara. 

On  the  18th,  they  landed  at  Sodus,  burnt  some 
buildings,  and  carried  off  300  bands  of  flour. 

About  the  23d  of  June  ,Capt.  Cliauncey,  of  one 
of  the  American  vessels  captured  one  of  the  British 
vessels  (the  Lady  Murray,  laden  with  militaiy 
stores.) 


1 


112 


lI 


m 


il 


^'i . 


On  the  24th 


•June,  Gen.  Dearborn  sent  out 
.570  men,  under  Col.  Boerstler,  in  pursuit  of  some 
British  near  the  Beaver  dam,  16  miles  from  fort 
George :  they  were  surrounded  by  a  number  of 
British  and  Indians,  and  all  killed  or  taken. 

On  the  27th  of  June,  Gen.  Dc  Rottenburgh  ar- 
rived in  Upper  Canada,  as  governor  of  the  same. 

On  the  10th  of  July,  250  British  crossed  over  the 
Niagara  ri\er,  below  Squaw  island,  and  marched 
up  to  Black  Rock  ;  the  militia  in  that  place  (onl}^  a 
lew)  retreated,  and  the  British  burnt  the  barracks 
and  blockhouse,  took  some  salt,  flour  and  pork,  3 
field  pieces,  and  1  twelve  pounder.  In  a  little  time 
the  militia  reinforced — come  upon  the  British — an 
engagement  took  place  for  15  minutes,  when  the 
British  retreated  over  the  river  with  some  loss. 

On  the  1 7th  of  July,  200  British  attacked  the 
American  picket  guards :  detachments  w^ere  sent 
out  and  drove  them  back  with  loss.  About  this 
time  Gen.  Dearborn  received  cders  to  resign  the 
command  of  the  army,  and  Gen.  Wilkinson  took  it. 

The  21st  of  July,  fort  Meigs  was  besieged  by 
the  British  and  Indians,  2000  strong.  However, 
it  appeared  that  they  made  a  heroic  resistance  un- 
der Maj.  Croghan,  and  that  they  retired  a  little  ; 
and  that  Gen.  Harrison  was  on  his  way  to  the  fort 
with  reinforcements. 

On  the  23d  of  July,  6  British  vessels  came  near 
to  Erie  and  made  some  little  attempts  to  injure  the 
American  fleet  under  Com.  Perry,  which  is  some- 
whit  less  than  that  of  the  British. 

On  the  29th  of  July,  Com.  Chauncey  sailed 
with  his  fleet  to  the  head  of  Lake  Ontario,  (40  m.) 
where  he  landed  some  troops  with  an  intention  of 


113 


•n  sent  out 
ait  of  some 
>  from  fort 
mimber  of 
:en. 

mburgh  ar- 
the  same, 
icd  over  the 
id  marched 
lace  (only  a 
ic  barracks 
md  pork,  3 
a  little  time 
British — an 
J,  when  the 
*me  loss, 
attacked  the 
s  were  sent 

About  this 
o  resign  the 
ison  took  it. 
Dcsieged  by 
However, 

istance  un- 
red  a  little ; 
to  the  fort 

s  came  near 
o  injure  the 
ch  is  some- 

ncey  sailed 
io,  (40  m.) 
intention  of 


attacking  some  of  the  British  and  Indians.     How- 
ever it  was  not  done. 

The  fleet  then  sailed  to  York.  The  British 
troops  stationed  there  retreated  before  the  fleet 
came  to  anchor,  and  when  they  came  away,  took  6 
or  700  barrels  of  flour,  some  boats  and  other  things. 

The  barracks  and  public  storehouses  were  burnt. 
A  number  of  the  inhabitants  came  away  also. 

On  the  2d  of  August,  1200  British  landed  from 
lake  Champlain  at  Plattsburgh ;  what  little  force 
was  there  retreated  with  safety  :  they  burnt  all  the 
public  buiklings  in  the  place  :  there  were  no  stores 
there. 

About  the  7th,  the  British  fleet  came  near  fort 
George,  and  the  American  fleet,  which  pursued 
them,  but  did  not  come  up  with  them.*  Both  of 
the  fleets  were  manoeuvring  in  sight  of  each  other 
for  3  days,  at  length  the  British  succeeded  in  cut- 
ting oflf  two  of  the  American  schooners,  viz.  the 
Julia  of  3  guns,  and  the  Growler  of  5.  Both  were 
captured. 

It  also  appears,  that  on  the  10th  of  August,  2 
other  schooners  were  upset  in  a  gale.  viz.  the 
Scourge  of  8  guns,  and  the  Hamilton  ;  16  persons 
were  saved  out  of  90.  Two  others  have  been 
condemned  as  unfit  for  service,  viz.  the  Fair  Ame- 
rican  and  the  Pert.  These  disasters  happened 
near  the  head  of  the  lake. 

On  the  17th  of  August,  a  company  of  volunteers 
and  Indians,  from  round  about  Buflfaloe  in  the  state 

*  The  force  of  the  two  fleets  was  about  equal.     , 

K  2 


114 


tin' 


n' 


mh 


W 


of  New  York,  under  the  command  of  General  Por- 
ter tirnved  at  Fort  George,  in  number  aLout  300. 
These  under  the  command  of  Major  Chapin,  and 
200  regulars  under  Major  Cummings  of  the  16th 
infantry,  made  an  attempt  to  cut  oft' one  of  the  Bri- 
tish pickets.  Although  they  were  disappointed  in 
their  primary  object,  yet  the  British  picket  was  rout- 
ed with  some  loss. 

The  American  Indians  captured  12  of  the  Bri- 
tish Indians  and  4  \^'hites ;  a  considerable  number 
was  killed  also.  We  ha\  e  no  account  what  num- 
ber of  the  Americans  were  killed,  but  no  doubt 
there  were  some. 

It  appears,  pre^  ious  to  the  7th  of  September,  the 
British  fleet  had  been  laying  some  time  at  anchor 
near  the  mouth  of  the  4  mile  creek,  3  miles  west  of 
Fort  George,  where  there  were  soive  batteries ;  but 
on  the  7th  it  weighed  anchor  and  stood  close  to  the 
mouth  of  Niagara  ri\'er  near  Fort  George. 

Commodore  Chauncey  had  been  at  anchor  also 
for  some  time  up  the  Niagara  river,  when  he  discov- 
ered the  British  fleet  at  day  light, — he  immediately 
made  sail  in  chase,  which  was  continued  for  3  days 
nearly  all  round  the  lake.  . 

At  length  on  the  litli,  near  the  Genesee  river, 
the  General  Pike,  (the  commodore's  vessel)  came 
so  near  some  of  the  British  vessels  as  to  have  a  run- 
ning fight  for  3  or  4  hours,  however  it  was  but  lit- 
tle injured,  not  a  man  was  hurt. 

On  the  morning  of  the  12th  the  British  fleet  put 
In  Amherst  bay  12  miles  west  of  Kingston,  ("fnt/s- 
teriousj  where  Commodore  Chauncey  endeavoured 
to  blockade  it,  not  wilimg  to  go  in,  supposing  the 


115 


eral  Por- 
out  300. 
ipin,  and 
the  16tli 
f  the  Bri- 
)ointcd  in 
'.  was  rout- 

*  the  Bri- 

le  number 

,vhat  num- 

no  doubt 

ember,  the 
at  anchor 
lies  west  of 
teries;  but 
close  to  the 

;;e. 

mchor  also 
he  discov- 
imediatcly 
for  3  days 

[esee  river, 
:;ssel)  came 
Ihave  a  run- 
ivas  but  lit- 

sh  fleet  put 

jton,  ("myS' 

jdeavoured 

)posing  the 


place  to  be  dangerous,  but  on  the  17th  unobserved 
by  Chauncey,  Sir  James  sailed  down  to  Kingston. 
On  the  10th  of  September,  as  the  American  fleet 
on  Lake  Erie  imder  the  command  of  Commodore 
Perry,  was  at  anchor  at  the  head  of  Lake  Erie,  in 
Put-in-bay,  15  miles  from  Maiden,  the  British  fleet 
under  Captain  Barclay,  of  six  vessels  and  63  guns 
was  discovered.  Commodore  Perry  had  9  ves- 
sels with  54  guns.  Perry's  fleet  immediately  got 
under  way  and  stood  to  meet  the  British  fleet. 
About  10  o'clock  the  Americiin  fleet  was  formed 
in  line  of  battle,  and  at  15  minutes  before  12,  the 
British  commenced  firing,  and  a  little  after  12  the 
action  began  on  the  part  of  Perry. 

The  firing  of  the  British  was  very  destructive  ofi 
account  of  their  long  guns,  and  was  chiefly  directed 
at  the  brig  Lawrence,  (the  commodore's  vessel)  who 
seeing  the  great  danger  she  w^as  in,  and  being  de- 
termined to  conquer  if  possible,  made  sail  and  or- 
dered the  other  vessels  to  follow  for  the  purpose  of 
closing  with  the  British. 

In  a  little  time  she  was  so  injured  in  her  rigging 
that  she  became  unmanagable ;  yet  in  this  situation 
she  sustained  the  fire  of  the  British  foi»  two  hours, 
within  a  few  hundred  yards  ;  at  length  every  o:un 
was  rendered  useless,  and  all  her  crew  either  killed 
or  wounded  except  eight,  \^hich  was  merely  enough 
to  manage  one  gun,  and  the  last  that  was  fired  was 
done  by  the  help  of  Perry  himself. 

At  half  past  2  Captain  Elliot  of  the  brig  Niagara 
brought  his  vessel  into  close  action  with  the  British. 
In  this  awful  crisis  Commodore  Perry  left  his  ves- 


116 


scl  (the  Lawrence)  to  the  command  of  Lieutenant 
Yarnall  and  past  to  the  Niagara.^ 

Soon  after  Perry  lelt  the  Lawrence  her  flag  came 
down,  but  as  the  British  were  not  able  to  take  pos- 
session of  her,  it  was  hoisted  again. 

At  45  minutes  past  2  the  signal  was  given  for 
close  action.  The  Niagara  with  Perry  then  bore 
up  in  order  to  break  the  line  of  the  British  ships, 
and  which  ^^  as  soon  eft'ected.  As  she  past  ahead  of 
their  two  ships  and  brig,  she  gave  them  a  raking 
fire  from  her  starboard  guns,  and  also  to  a  large 
schooner  and  sloop  from  the  larboard  side,  at  half 
pistol  shot  distance ;  at  the  same  time  all  the  Ameri- 
can lleet  kept  up  a  tremendous  and  well  directed 
fire  upon  the  British  which  did  great  execution. 

In  a  little  time  4  of  the  largest  vessels  of  the  Bri- 
tish struck  their  colours,  the  other  two  endeavour- 
ed to  escape,  but  all  to  no  purpose ;  all  were  cap- 
tured and  caken  into  Sandusky  bay,  on  the  United 
States  side,t  where  the  prisoners,  about  600,  were 
landed  and  marched  to  Chihcothe.  J 


f.  :i 


*  Perhaps  a  more  heroic  action  was  never  acheived  by 
mortal  man — To  pass  from  one  vessel  to  another  in  an  o[)en 
boat,  amidst  tfie  flying  shafts  of  death,  and  mighty  thunder, 
and  that  for  the  purpose  of  crouding  still  closer  in  the  arms 
of  danger,  to  lose  life  or  gain  victory  for  the  benefit  of  othere 
discovers  a  soul  highly  touched  with  a  sensibility  of  honour, 
greatness  of  mind,  and  contempt  of  death. 

f  On  this  occasion  there  was  a  general  illumination  through- 
out all  the  cities  and  towns  in  the  United  States,  expressive 
of  their  approbation  on  so  great  an  event. 

J  Thr  British  prisoners,  both  officers  and  soldiers  speak 
in  high  terms  of  the  tenderness  of  Commodore  Perry  to  Iheju, 
this  i?  the  most  beautiful  feature  of  His  character. 


11 


Liutenant 

lag  came 
:ake  pos- 

jiven  for 
len  bore 
ill  ships, 
:  ahead  of 
a  raking 
3  a  large 
^,  at  half 
le  Ameri- 
.  directed 
cution. 
)f  the  Bri- 
iideavour- 
Lvere  cap- 
he  United 
600,  were 


icheived  by 
r  ill  an  open 
ity  thunder, 
in  the  arms 
efitofothere 
y  of  honour, 

tion  through- 
s,  expressive 

)ldier9  speak 
erry  to  theiB, 
tr. 


It  appears  that  on  the  19th  of  Sfptcnibcr,  general 
Hampton  commanding  at  Burlington,  marched  his 
troops,  about  5000,  towards  Upper  Canada,  and  in 
a  few  days  crossed  into  it  at  Odleton,  where  he  kill- 
ed  and  took  a  ff  w  of  the  British,  he  dien  retreated 
back  and  R)rmed  hi  >  march  towards  Sacketts  har- 
bour, distant  about  250  mik^s  through  much  w^oods; 
ho\\ever  he  stopped  at  Chatauge. 

On  the  23d  September,  Commodore  Perry  as- 
sisted General  Harrison  to  land  1200  troops  on  an 
island  in  Lake  Erie,  half  way  bet^\'een  Sandusky 
Bay  and  Maiden,  and  on  the  28th,  the  whole  army 
was  landed  at  Maiden,  and  took  possession  of  it, 
which  the  British  had  evacuated  and  burnt.  On  the 
29th,  Harrison  pursued  them  as  far  as  Detroit,  but 
they  had  burnt  that  also  and  w  ididrawn  up  the  Riv- 
er La  Trench,  or  Thames  about  40  miles.*  From 
Detroit,  Harrison  pursued  Proctor,  and  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  5th  of  October,  overtook  him  near  Mo- 
ravian town,  and  gained  a  complete  victory.  Nearly 
all  the  army,  of  about  700  regulars  and  some  Indians 
fell  into  his  hands.  Proctor  and  a  few  more  made 
their  escape. t  Harrison's  army,  3500,  Proctor's 
about  1700  men. 

*  From  this  part  of  the  river  there  is  a  good  road  to  the 
head  of  Lake  Ontario,  212  miles. 

f  When  information  of  tWs  victory  reached  Philadelphia, 
a  number  of  respectable  inhabitants  waited  on  the  mayor, 
Mr.  Barker  for  permission  to  illuminate  the  city,  which  was 
granted  with  pleasure,  and  in  his  Proclamation  notes  with 
some  propriety,  "  By  this  victory  the  wives,  maids,  and  in- 
fants on  our  frontiers  will  be  preserved  from  British  and  In- 
dian scalping  knives  and  tomahawks.*'  The  mayor  fiirther 
remarked,  that  he  hoped  the  person  or  property  of  no  one 
would  be  disturbed,  who  did  not  think  proper  to  join  in  the 


118 


After  Harrison  had  obtained  this  victory,  the  Or 
toway,   Pottowatamie,  Chippevvay,    IViiami,    and 
Kickapoos  Indians  immediately  sued  for  peace  with 
the  United  States,  and  brought  in  some  of  their 
M  omen  and  children  as  hostages. 

On  the  28th  September,  Commodore  Chatmcey 
discovered  the  British  fleet  towards  York  and  went 
in  pursuit.  On  the  29th  th^'  General  Pike  came  in- 
to action  with  it,  and  after  ha^  ing  a  few  men  killed 
and  wounded  by  the  British,  and  the  bursting  of  a 
gun,  and  destroying  a  mast  from  off  the  Wolfe  and 
Royal  George,  the  British  got  under  their  batteries 
on  the  height  of  Burlington,  at  4  o'  clock ;  Commo- 
dore  Chauncey  then  returned  to  Fort  George. 

On  the  1st  of  October,  the  American  army  at 
Fort  George  under  General  Wilkinson  left  that 
place  in  300  boats,  for  Sacketts  harbour,  under  con- 
voy of  Chauncey 's  fleet,  after  which  Chauncey  went 
in  quest  of  the  British  fleet  towards  Kingston. 

On  the  5th,  he  descried  7  sail,  consisting  of  five 
schooners,*  one  sloop,  and  a  gunboat.  The  schoon- 
ers were  taken  without  resistance,  the  sloop  was 
burnt  and  abandoned,  and  the  gunboat  run  to  shore. 

About  300  prisoners  were  taken. 

general  joy.  Indeed  the  greatest  blessing  that  mortals  can 
enjoy  in  this  world,  is  that  of  having  full  liberty  to  act  as 
they  please  in  all  thiugs  that  do  not  injure  their  fellow  crea- 
tures, and  any  government  or  individual  who  strives  to  pre- 
vent any  on<»  from  enjoying  this  natural  privilege,  commits 
a  capital  offence  against  his  own  interest,  against  the  interest 
of  society,  and  against  Heaven  also  Accordingly  the  illu- 
mination took  place  on  the  21st,  and  was  conducted  with 
much  moderation. 

*  One  was  i\w  Growler,  taken  from  Chauncey'a  fleet. on. 
the  lOthof  Au^UbU 


',  the  Or 
mil,    and 
)eace  with 
e  of  their 

Chauncey 
:  and  went 
e  came  in- 
nen  killed 
rsting  of  a 
Wolfe  and 
ir  batteries 
;  Commo- 
t  George, 
n  army  at 
n  left  that 
ander  con- 
mcey  went 
^ston. 
ting  of  five 
le  schoon- 
sloop  was 
n  to  shore. 


mortals  can 
ty  to  act  us 
fellow  crea- 
rives  to  pre- 
re,  commita 
t  the  interest 
ipr|y  the  illu- 
uluctetl  witli 


ADDRESS. 


The  author  lendeis  his  acknowledgments  to  Ihe  pub 
lie,  for  the  ready  reception  of  the  first  and  second  impres- 
sions of  this  book.     He  has  now  got  a  third  printed,   with 
considerable  enlargements*  and  corrections. 

The  history  of  the  war  in  Canada,  is  brought  down  to  the 
21st  of  October,  1813,  to  the  veiy  hour  the  last  sheet  was 
struck.  Since  the  war  began,  there  has  been  several  ac- 
counts published  relativfi;  to  Canada:  the  author  wiH  not 
make  any  comments  on  them,  but  with  regard  to  this  book, 
he  can  testify  that  the  geographical  part  is  true,  as  he  had 
the  best  opportunity  to  obtain  a  correct  knowledge  of  the 
province,  having  lived  there  several  years,  in  which  time  he 
was  writing  on  the  subject,  by  permission  of  the  governor. 

With  regard  to  the  history  of  the  war,  from  the  tirst  there- 
of till  the  last  of  December,  1812,  (which  was  the  time  I  left 
the  province  by  permission)  I  know  to  be  true.  What  re- 
lates to  its  progress  since  that  time,  I  have  carefidly  taken 
from  the  public  papers,  received  at  New  York  and  Philadel- 
phia to  the  21st  of  October,  1813. 

And  I  will  further  remark,  that  !  am  a  Prm  friend  of  my 
native  country,  the  United  States  ;f  in  consideration  of  which 
I  left  the  province  of  Upper  Cajiada,  where  1  was  settled 
with  my  family,  aiul  all  the  property  I  had,  rather  than  take 
the  oath  of  allegiance  to  his  Britannic  majesty,  and  fight 
against  my  countrymen. 


*  J  short  description  of  Loner  Cauadei- 
f  From  Peirnsytcajiia. 


ey'a  fleet  on 


CONTENTS. 

PART  I.  Page. 

Description  of  the  District  o*'  London,        -        -        -  5 

Terms  of  obtaining  land  in  Middlesex  county,    -        -  1 5 

PART  II. 

General  Remarks  on  the  Geogvapliical  State  of  the 

whole  Province. — Situation  and  extent,        -        -  17 

Soil  and  Surface, 18 

Natural  Production, 20 

Agriculture, 21 

Climate, 22 

Commerce, 23 

Animals, 24 

Fish, 26 

Mines  and  Minerals, 28 

Lakes, 29 

Rivers, 35 

Indians, 39 

Villages, AG 

Settlements, 48 

Civil  Divisions, 50 

Districts, 50 

King's  Roads, 52 

Bearing  and  Distances  of  places,        -        -        -        -55 

A  short  description  of  Lower  Canada,         -        -        -  58 

Population, 61 

Learning, 61 

Morals, ---62 

Religion, 63 

Diversions,       --------65 

Manufactures, 67 

Promiscuous  Remarks  on  the  Government,        -        -  67 

'  "         .-^-■^u'>-     APPENDIX.     '.:''■■'•"• 

Description  of  Niagara  Falls,      -                 "        •        -  7t 

Remarks  relative  to  the  war  in  the  province,      .^        ^  82 


Page. 

-  5 

-  15 


of  the 


17 
18 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
26 
28 
29 
35 
39 

48 
50 
50 
62 
55 
58 
61 
61 
62 
63 
65 
67 
67 


72 
82 


